Starting Over
by kibaschick
Summary: This a Trolls AU where everyone is human. When Poppy starts college she has no idea what to expect, but meeting new friends takes many unexpected turns and later on she is forced to return to her past and face her fears. And can Branch learn to let the past go or allow it to keep consuming him? Rated T for language and adult themes.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Hey guys! This is my very first Trolls fanfiction. This is an AU but I tried to keep the characters as true as possible. Please let me know what you think so I can keep writing.**

 **Thanks!  
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Chapter 1 - First Day

"Oh no I'm gonna be late!" The pink haired girl yelled out loud. _I can't believe I'm going to be late on my first day_ , she thought to herself whilst sprinting across the campus where she had just recently started college. Her bright pink jacket was billowing out behind her as she ran as fast she could without slipping on the sidewalk that still held some of the morning's condensation. Not paying attention as she rounded a corner of one of the many brick buildings on the massive campus she ran right smack into something and fell to the ground. As her butt hit the cool cobblestone sidewalk she felt some hot liquid splash onto her arm. After catching herself with her arms on either side of her, she looked up and realized she hadn't run into _something_ but rather _someone._ Her gaze first fell onto the black boots that were just below her eye level, then slowly made her way up the black jeans and up the black leather jacket until she found sky blue eyes where she finally stopped. She gulped loudly, they were the most beautiful blue eyes she had ever seen. Black hair entered her peripheral, but she couldn't look away from those eyes.

What seemed like minutes were only seconds before she finally blinked and looked back down blushing. "I'm so sorry!" She blurted out. Shyly Poppy looked back up at the guy's face, he was tall and very good looking but had one of the meanest scowls on his face she had ever seen. She then noticed that the liquid that had hit her was from his coffee, which was also on his jacket and on the ground.

"Watch where you're going freshman!" He yelled at her. Poppy cringed in fear knowing she had probably just made an enemy. Then he stepped around her and walked away. She swore she could have heard him growl and him muttering something like "Damn kids" and "Spilled my freaking coffee" as he walked around the corner and disappeared from her sight.

Other students walked around her, giving her funny looks as they passed but her mind was still fixed on the boy she had just encountered. After a minute she shook her head and got up, wiping the dirt off the back of her jeans. _Who was that?_ She thought to herself.

Then out loud she gasped, "Oh no! Now I AM going to be late!" She took off in a sprint, thankful she had already ventured around campus the day before and knew exactly where her first class was. Her feet pounded the ground and she breathed hard, trying to get as much air in her lungs as possible so she could keep going. All the other students didn't help at all as she kept having stop to dodge them.

Finally, she made it to the correct building. She yanked the door open as fast as she could and ran down the hallway until she came to the big wooden double doors she was looking for. Very quietly she opened one of the doors and stepped in, letting the door shut without as much sound as possible. The room was huge, more like an auditorium than a classroom with lots of seating and a huge screen at the front for the professor to teach from. Currently it displayed the room number, class subject (Art 101), and the professor's name.

Luckily it was dark and only a handful of students had even noticed her come in. The professor had already begun talking, so she looked to either side of her hoping to quickly find a seat. It happened to be her lucky day, even though it had not started so well, since there was an open seat at a table near her. There were two girls already sitting at the table, but Poppy didn't want to make a scene by trying to sit any farther into the classroom. As quietly as she could she walked over and whispered to the girl closest to the empty seat, "Is this seat taken?"

The girl turned to her and smiled "No go ahead" she said as she gestured to the chair.

"Thank you." Poppy said sitting down and set her bag on the floor.

Slowly her breathing went back to normal and she could finally relax a little as she kind of listened to the professor as he explained what he would be going over during the semester and what would be expected of the students. As she looked around the classroom her eyes stopped on a certain student that was sitting down front, closer to the professor. Though it was mostly dark in the room, the students close to the front were illuminated from the light of the screen projected onto the huge marker board. It was the SAME boy she had run into earlier! She could only see his profile from this angle, but he was just as good looking as she remembered from the brief time she had looked at him. He seemed to be very interested in what the professor had to say but it was at that moment he decided to look around the room. His eyes landed on her and she looked away as quickly as she could. _I can't believe he just caught me staring!_ Poppy thought to herself as she felt her face flush with embarrassment. She refused to look in his direction for fear she might meet his eyes again.

"Here." The girl sitting next to hear was holding a stack of papers in her hand gesturing them towards her.

Poppy looked at them "Class Syllabus" the papers said. "Oh sorry" She said to the girl and took them from her. She placed one on the table in front of her, then stood up and walked as quietly as she could to another table about ten feet away and handed them to another student. As she sat back down she grabbed up the syllabus and flipped through the three pages which explained what the class would cover, the grading process, test and assignment dates, and supplemental instruction (tutoring) if a student needed it.

Even though it had only been ten minutes the professor flipped on the lights and told the students they could go for the day.

Poppy looked around confused. She looked to the girl next to her who was packing her bag, "What's going on?" she asked.

Now that Poppy could finally see clearly, she noticed the girl sitting next to her had blonde hair with blue streaks in it. She was very pretty, but what surprised her was the girl sitting on the other side of her. They looked just alike except this girl had pink highlights in her hair.

The girl looked up at her and smiled "Freshman huh?" Poppy nodded. "The first day of almost any class lets out after the professor introduces themselves and goes over the syllabus. We almost never take notes and get to leave early."

"Oh." Poppy said.

"You'll get used to it and expect it after the first few classes." The girl said.

"What really messes with you is when they don't let you out early and you actually have to take notes on the first day." The other girl behind her said crossing her arms.

"Oh, by the way I'm Chenille," the girl with the blue highlights said extending a hand towards Poppy, "and this is my twin sister Satin."

Poppy shook her hand, "Nice to meet you both. I'm Poppy." She replied smiling.

"So, when's your next class?" Chenille asked the pink haired girl.

"Uh…. let me check." Poppy turned and bent slightly to pick up her bag from the floor, but as luck would have it the one person she didn't want to make eye contact with passed by right as she turned. She froze, and her breath caught in her throat as he stared at her. The eye contact only lasted a second but seemed to last hours. He walked away from her still with scowl on his face shaking his head. Poppy finally remembered to breathe and shook her head to get out of the stupor. She picked up her bag and turned to faced Satin and Chenille again, who were both smiling at her.

"What?" She asked, looking confused.

The twins looked at each other, almost as if having a mental conversation.

Satin spoke first, "Girl don't even look at that boy."

"He is not going to give you the time of day. I have never even seen him with a girl, and you so wouldn't be his type. You're a little too…. pink for him." Chenille stated.

Poppy looked at both girls, "It's not like that, I ran into him literally this morning and accidentally spilled his coffee on both of us. He yelled at me and walked off."

Satin and Chenille just started laughing. "Oh, I would have loved to see that! I can just imagine his reaction," Chenille said.

"So, you guys know him?" Poppy asked, smiling at their reaction.

"Yeah, we know who he is. Our friend Guy was like best friends with him in high school." Satin replied.

"He's a pretty grumpy guy, keeps to himself, we've met him a few times when he hangs out with Guy, but he doesn't talk much. But he's really smart, and from what we've heard from Guy that he can sing and play guitar." Chenille said.

Poppy mulled this over in her head before asking her next question, "What's his name?"

"Branch." The twins said at the same time.

This surprised Poppy, "Branch? Is that a nickname or something?"

"No, his parents weren't exactly in their right minds when he was born. But the name fits him." Chenille replied.

"So next class?" Satin asked Poppy.

"Oh yeah," Poppy opened her bag and pulled out her schedule. "I've got a few hours."

"Do you wanna get coffee with us? We were gonna hit Starbucks, and this was our only class today." Chenille asked.

Poppy smiled, "Sure, that'd be great."

The trio then walked out of the class room together, and after walking down the hallway they exited the building. It was now bright and shiny outside, a little warmer than before but still chilly considering it was still early. There were also a lot less students now which made the walk much nicer so the three could talk. Poppy learned the twins were majoring in Apparel Design, but had minor in Music since both girls apparently could sing.

"So, what's your major?" Satin asked Poppy.

Poppy replied," Music, I love to sing. I'm not good at much else but I might find something here I can minor in."

"Cool, maybe we can meet up in the music hall at some point and sing together," Chenille piped in.

This made Poppy smile, "Yeah that sounds like fun."

The three continued their walk chatting about their classes this semester, their jobs, and various other topics that had to do with their college lives. Before they knew it, they were at the coffee shop. They entered and ordered their coffees. The girls then sat at table next to a huge window where they could see students walking about outside. They continued their conversation while drinking their coffee, it was mostly small talk just getting to know each other. After an hour Poppy realized she needed to get going so she could get to her next class early hopefully without running into anybody.

"I'm sorry girls but I have to go, I would like to make it to my next without running," Poppy laughed.

The twins smiled at her. "What's your number? I'm gonna text you later so we can meet up for dinner." Chenille said handing Poppy her phone.

Poppy entered her number into the phone and handed it back. "I should be done with classes by 5 so anytime after that will be fine."

"Sounds good." Satin replied.

"Well see you guys later." Poppy said while giving a small wave and walking away.

The twins grinned at her and gave small waves back. "I like this girl." Chenille said to her sister

Satin looked back at her, "Me too, for being a freshman she's not terribly annoying. I just hope she doesn't chase after Branch. We both know how that will end."

Chenille simply nodded, she knew what Branch was capable of. A girl like Poppy had no chance with that grump-ass.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Hey guys, thanks for the reviews! I appreciate all of them. I forgot to put in my first author's note that there will be warnings before each chapter if I feel they are necessary. There will be some dark themes later on and I don't want anyone to get upset with me for not warning them.**

 **mlpfanceline1: Thank you, I hope to keep your interest as the story progresses.**

 **atomochi: I'm glad you love it, I love me some Broppy too!**

 **Guest 1: Glad you loved it too!**

 **Guest 2: I'm happy I got your attention so quick, I was hoping the very beginning would get readers hooked in.**

 **shiego627: I'm happy that you love it! Yes you may draw them, please let me know when you do so I can see it :)**

 **Well let's get on with it shall we!**

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Chapter 2

Poppy walked across campus towards her next class, but her thoughts were far from school right now. _I wonder why the twins are warning me about Branch. What is so wrong about him? Is he a criminal? Just a mean guy? He can't possibly be that bad, can he? I know not all guys are bad, they can't all be – No! I won't think about him, that's all behind me._

Before she knew it, she reached the building where her class was; she opened the door and continued down the hallway stuck in her own thoughts. She reached the classroom, this one much smaller than the last with about 20 or so desks. Most were already full, but she found one close to the door. It wasn't yet time for class to start so she pulled out her phone to check her Facebook. As usual it was just people arguing over stupid things and memes. She sighed and laid her phone back down on her desk, but just as she did her phone chimed alerting her to a new text. Not knowing who would be texting this time of day she picked up her phone.

"Hi sweetie, hope your first day is going well. Give me a call later if you have time, would love to hear about your first day. Love Dad."

The text made her smile, she hit reply "Hi Dad, first day is going well so far, will tell you all about it later. Love you too!"

Poppy put her phone back in her bag just as the teacher started passing out the syllabus for the class (English 102). The teacher began talking just as the last had about student expectations and grades. Still in her own thoughts, Poppy barely heard her. She just kept going over what Satin and Chenille had told her about Branch. It was just a constant loop in her head, she knew she didn't need to be thinking about a guy right now but there was just something about him that just drew her in. Before she knew it students around her were getting up from their desks and leaving. She put the class syllabus in her bag and left as well.

It was much warmer outside now as Poppy left the building. She breathed in deeply enjoying the higher temperature. Her destination now was her dorm room since her next and last class was later in the afternoon.

Her jacket had come off halfway through her walk as she started sweating less than halfway to her destination. She exhaled loudly as she entered her air-conditioned dorm room and set her bag down. Poppy flopped down on her bed and stared at her ceiling. _Just one more class today_ , she thought to herself.

After a few minutes she finally cooled off and sat up. Not knowing what else to do she grabbed the tv remote and flipped it on. She wasn't really too interested in watching so she just put on a sitcom and stared blankly at the tv letting her mind have a break.

The morning turned into the afternoon and Poppy realized it was time to head to her next class, Biology 107. Science was never a good subject for her but unfortunately all freshman had to take it. She huffed, turned off her tv, grabbed her bag, and headed out the door locking it behind her.

Luckily the class went the same as the other and within ten minutes she was free from classes until the next day. It was only just after 4 and since she hadn't heard from Chenille yet so she headed back to her dorm.

Once she got back to her room she decided to call her dad to tell him about her first day. She dialed his number and waited for him to answer. Lucky for her she didn't have to wait long, he answered on the third ring "Hello princess!"

"Hi daddy!" Poppy replied.

"How was your first day of college?"

"It was good, a little boring but I made some new friends. And possibly an enemy." The pink haired girl thought back to her first encounter with Branch.

"Oh no what happened?" Her father asked.

"I was running late this morning and ran into this guy and I accidentally spilled his coffee on both of us. Then he yelled at me and stomped off." Poppy recounted the event to her father.

"I'm sure you didn't mean to sweetie, sounds like he was just upset about his coffee."

"I hope so, because he was also in my first class."

"Well you don't have to be friends with everybody Poppy, why don't you tell me about the friends you did make today."

"Oh yeah, I met them in my first class. Their names are Satin and Chenille, they're actually twins. We went to get coffee after class and invited me to dinner for tonight."

"They sound nice, I'm glad you could make friends on your first day." Her father replied.

"Yeah, I think things are starting to look up daddy." Poppy told her father, "How was your day?"

She could hear her father sigh on the other end of the phone, "Oh you know, same as always. Business meetings, paperwork, fake being nice to fellow businessmen, the usual day."

Poppy giggled, "Yeah sounds like your typical day."

Before Peppy could reply to his daughter he was interrupted by an assistant coming into his office. Poppy could hear the assistant over the phone, "I'm so sorry to interrupt sir but your 4:30 is here."

Peppy sighed, "Tell them I'll be out in a minute."

"Do you need to go Daddy?" Poppy asked.

"I'm so sorry princess but I do have another meeting, and no one around here is patient. I hope you understand."

"Of course, you go work Daddy. I should be hearing from Chenille soon anyway."

"I love you Poppy."

"I love you too Dad." Poppy hung up her phone and laid it on the bed beside her. Talking to her father always made her feel better, even though most of their calls were interrupted by a meeting of some kind.

Luckily for her she didn't have time to dwell on this as her phone lit up with a new text. "Wanna meet at Olive Garden for dinner? – Chenille"

"Sure, give me 10 min." Poppy replied hitting send.

"Cool! See you then. -Chenille"

Poppy grabbed up her keys and wallet along with her phone and headed out the door. It was a short walk to her car. She got in and it didn't take her long to get to the restaurant. When she saw the sign she pulled in and parked. Satin and Chenille were waiting for her outside the door.

"Hey girl." Chenille said flashing a huge smile.

"Hi." Poppy replied.

"Alright you two, I'm starving. Let's go eat." Satin said, opening the door and walking into the restaurant as the other two girls followed her.

Dinner went the same as coffee, the three talked all though the meal. Poppy listened to Satin and Chenille talk about their adventures in college, anything from boyfriends to pulling pranks on friends to partying the nights after finals. She really didn't want to talk about herself, so she was actually enjoying hanging out with these girls who loved to talk about themselves and their friends.

"So, Poppy, tell us more about you." Chenille said turning towards the pink haired girl.

Poppy almost choked on her food, she really didn't want to go there but she could be vague without revealing too much. "Um well, obviously I'm a freshman, I'm 18, I grew up with just my dad since my mom died in childbirth, I don't really have any friends. I'm completely new to the area so I don't really know anybody. I can sing, I'm generally a happy person and like to cheer others up if I see them sad."

"What's with the pink hair?" Satin asked, gesturing to Poppy's hair.

"I just wanted a new look for college. You know that whole 'new life new you' bit. I just wanted something different I guess." Poppy replied, hoping they couldn't see right through her. She wasn't really lying, but it wasn't the whole truth either.

The twins looked at each other. "Well I think it's cool," said Chenille. "We went for our new looks when we started college too and now I couldn't imagine us any other way."

"I don't think I could tell you apart if it wasn't for your hair." Poppy giggled.

Chenille and Satin laughed with her. "Most people can't tell us apart, "Satin said. "Even our parents messed up sometimes."

The rest of the evening went much like this, by the end of the night Poppy's stomach hurt from laughing so much. She was kind of thankful to get back to her dorm room. It was only 8:30 so she took a quick shower and settled into bed, not really wanting to sleep yet just to relax and chill. Poppy turned on her tv and grabbed her phone. She had a couple new texts, one from Chenille and one from her dad.

"Had a great time tonight, text you tomorrow to hang – Chenille."

Poppy replied, "Had a great time too, see you tomorrow."

She then opened the one from her dad. "Sorry I had to go earlier, hope you had a great evening. I'll call you tomorrow. Love you, dad."

"Had a great night, talk to you tomorrow. I love you too." Poppy sent the text, then switched over to her Facebook. She had two new friends requests from Satin and Chenille. Of course she accepted both and then scrolled through the news feed. Again there wasn't much new just the same usual stuff: another couple got engaged, someone else had a baby, someone got a new car, the list goes on. After a few minutes she put her phone down and watched tv. A movie was playing, it was a silly romantic comedy about how two people would get together despite their differences. This just made her mind wander back to Branch. She knew she shouldn't be thinking about him at all, but she couldn't help it. She just couldn't get those piercing blue eyes out of her head. It wasn't long before she couldn't keep her eyes open anymore and she fell asleep.

Poppy shot out of her bed to her alarm the next morning. She rubbed her eyes and stretched after turning off her alarm. Slowly she got up from her bed and went to her closet to find a good outfit for the day. She found a pair of nice dark blue jeans and a sky-blue button blouse to go with. Her black ballet flats went perfectly with the outfit. Poppy didn't even realize until she stepped in front of the mirror that her shirt was the same shade of blue as Branch's eyes. Shrugging she decided to stick with it, even if it was going to remind her all day long. _It's not like I'm going to run into him again anyway,_ she thought to herself, _except for maybe art class, but that's not something I can avoid._

She finished what little bit of makeup she needed and then put her up in a ponytail, like pretty much every day. After she was done she took one last look in the mirror.

"You can do this." She said out loud to herself. Poppy grabbed her bag and headed out the door.

Today was her first music class for college, it was a class she was actually excited for. It would probably be all the basics, but it still should be fun. Ever since she was little she could sing so it was easy for her to pick that career path for college. She wasn't sure yet if wanted to be a real performer or get involved with a band or maybe even produce music, but she had plenty of time to figure that out later.

Before she knew it she had arrived at the music hall and entered the classroom. This was just a basic classroom with roughly 25 desks, but down the hall there were several different rooms where students could play their instruments, create music, and sing. Poppy knew it wouldn't be long before she could get into one of those booths and start singing her own music. At the very end of the hall was a huge auditorium/theater where performances were held.

Her attention was then called back to the front when the teacher began talking. As he introduced himself the syllabus was being passed around; Poppy took one and handed the stack to the next student. She flipped through it, it was much the same as the others she had gotten but the last page caught her eye. According to the grading system at the end of the semester each student had to perform, not just for other students but for an audience, for 50% of their **total** grade. They could pick whatever they wanted to do – create music, sing, play an instrument, etc.

"And this is my assistant, Guy or GD as some of you may know him. If you need any help in the class, just ask me or him and we will do what we can for you." The professor said as he gestured toward an older student who got up and gave a wave to the class.

"Hey guys, you can call me Guy or GD. If you guys need anything please send me an e-mail or even text me, my info is on the syllabus." Guy said.

Guy was older than Poppy, by at least a year or two maybe more. He had darker skin with very short black hair, he probably shaved it occasionally. He also had diamond stud earrings in both ears and the whitest smile Poppy had ever seen. She knew she was probably going to have to ask him for help with this project.

 _Wait,_ Poppy thought to herself, _is this the same Guy that Chenille was talking about?"_

Her inner monologue was interrupted by the professor. "And I have someone else I would like to introduce to everyone. Some of you may already know him, but he's a very well-known music producer in the area and he has given us some of his time to come down and say a few words. Cooper if you'd take it away please."

Cooper took the stage, he was another dark-skinned fellow probably in late 20's, early 30's at the most. He had short dread locks that only hung to his shoulders and he wore a fedora. "Hey guys mine name is Cooper. I'm a local music producer and this school has introduced me to some very talented students that have gone on to make some big names for themselves. What I do here is keep in touch with the professor and if he thinks you're talented enough I come back in and we talk. If you're the real deal, then we can start working on your career in the music industry. I wish everyone the best of luck this semester. Back to you professor."

"Thank you, Cooper," the professor said as Cooper took his seat. Everyone applauded and then turned their attention back up front.

"That should be about all for today. I want you kids to start thinking about those projects, do not put it off until the week before. Trust me it does not end well." The professor concluded class and the students were free to go.

Poppy began packing her bag, _I wonder if I can write my own song for the project, well I mean of course I'm allowed to, but I wonder if I could actually do it. Hmm…_

Suddenly Poppy felt a presence next to her. She looked up to see Guy standing there.

"Can I help you?" Poppy asked curiously.

Guy smiled at her, "You can tell me the story of how you made Branch spill his coffee." He chuckled.

Poppy blushed, this wasn't what she was expecting. "How do you know it was me?"

"Please girl, you are the only one around here with pink hair." Guy replied.

"You got me there. So, you must know Satin and Chenille too huh?" She asked.

He nodded, "Yep, and they told me the story too. I gotta tell you not many people would be brave enough to mess with Branch. But I would have paid to see it."

"It was a complete accident!" Poppy blurted embarrassed.

Guy started laughing, "Easy girl I'm just giving you a hard time. Come on, I'm meeting up with Satin and Chenille in the cafeteria."

"Oh okay." Poppy replied. She grabbed her things and walked out the door behind Guy.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Hey guys! Here's a new year's treat for you! I'm trying to update as much as possible but since I have to go back to work tomorrow it'll just be as I can. I appreciate all the reviews, keep them coming!**

ThayetJade: I haven't decided on Creek's role yet, we shall see as the story develops. Branch will be involved more later!

Guest 1: I'm glad you love it!

mlpfanceline1: Poppy has just moved here, so unfortunately she had no friends starting out, but now she does :)

Guest 2: Thank you for the kind words, glad you love it!

TheSnackPack: Here's the next chapter for ya!

Varghul: Turning them human for this story seemed much easier, I'm glad you're loving it!

Now here we go...

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Chapter 3

His day had actually started out good, which was a rare thing for Branch. He woke up in a surprisingly good mood and was even up early. Getting his coffee had been quick and easy with the line being short and the baristas working rather quickly despite the early hour. But it all changed when a pink haired brat had run into him spilling his coffee on both of them. His coffee was one thing you didn't mess with, he let her off easy with a warning and headed to the class he was now a teaching assistant in. It wasn't long into the professor's spiel that he got bored, he'd heard this speech already and didn't necessarily have to pay attention to it. His gaze wondered around the classroom until they met a pair of chocolate brown eyes.

 _Oh God,_ he thought to himself, _not this girl again._

Luckily the pink haired girl looked away after barely a second of eye contact.

Class was over as quickly as it had begun. He made his way out of the auditorium, but paused when he passed the girl who had spilled his coffee not ten minutes before the class started. She had been talking to Satin and Chenille. Her nervous gaze caught his irritated one as he scoffed at her and continued walking. He made his way across campus to the library, it would be very quiet there this time of morning especially on the first day.

After entering he found his usual spot on the second floor in the corner where there were two empty chairs. He sat down putting his bag on the floor beside him. Branch pulled out his notes for the art class so he could continue working on them. It wasn't long before he heard the cushion in the chair next to him deflate as someone sat in it. He was about to tell the person to leave when he looked up to see Guy sitting there grinning at him.

"Did someone forget how to walk and hold a coffee again?" Guy asked him chuckling.

"You know that was once freshman year, I would never intentionally spill coffee." Branch replied sternly.

"So, what happened then?" Guy gestured towards Branch's jacket.

"Ugh this stupid freshman girl ran into me spilling my coffee on both of us. I guess she was probably late for class. I yelled at her and walked away. Then she's in my first freaking class and I catch her staring at me."

"Damn dude, she hot?" Guy smiled at him.

Branch huffed, "I wasn't really paying attention, I was pretty pissed about my coffee. All I know is she had pink hair."

"Wait, what? Pink hair? Who does that?" Guy asked wondering why in the hell anyone would dye their hair pink.

The black-haired boy shrugged, "I don't know, maybe she just wants attention."

Branch wasn't exactly telling Guy the whole truth, but he figured it wasn't any of his business. He had looked at the girl closer after he had cooled off from being mad about his coffee. She was pretty, really pretty but obviously younger than his 22-year-old self. Plus, she was way too pink, much too naïve looking for him. He might as well forget about her and just move on with his studies.

"Earth to Branch." Guy said waving a hand in front of Branch's face.

Branch shook himself from his thoughts, "What, did you say something?"

Guy shook his head and smiled knowingly, "I can see you thinking about her, don't lie to me man I've known you too long."

"Why would I be thinking about a dumb freshman?" Branch scoffed.

"I don't know, why would you? Unless she caught your eye." Guy replied smirking.

Branch was done talking about this, "So are you ready for classes this semester?" He knew it was a horrible segway to change subjects, but he had to do something or GD would just keep going.

Guy chuckled, "Fine I'll leave you alone about it. Of course not, have I ever been ready for classes?"

"Not that I can remember. " Branch cracked a small smile. He knew GD was never great in school, always procrastinating and putting everything off until it absolutely had to be done. To GD having fun was important than good grades, as long as he passed he was happy.

"Well it's been great talking to you man but I gotta go meet up with Suki, I promised her coffee this morning. She's almost as grumpy as you when she doesn't get her coffee." Guy said giving Branch a light punch on the arm as he stood to leave.

Branch glared at him, but it only lasted a second. He knew GD was just teasing him. "Alright man I'll see you later." He replied.

He turned back to his notes as Guy left, making sure he had everything down that he needed for the class. Why there was a teaching assistant for a basic art class he would never know, but it gave him credit and he earned some extra money doing it.

With not much else to do he put his notes back in his bag and just kind of sat there for a while thinking. He only had one more class today, then he had work, and then tutoring. Slowly his mind went back to the pink-haired girl. _Oh man,_ he thought to himself, _why am I even thinking about her? That is not going to happen. I haven't even been with a girl in over a year, no way is she someone I should even be looking at. Much too bubbly and innocent looking. An older guy like me wouldn't attract someone like her anyway._

Branch leaned forward in his chair and rubbed his face with his hands, he had to get some fresh air and get his mind off this. He grabbed his bag and left the library. Once outside he breathed in deeply and started walking. It wasn't as chilly as it had been earlier, but still not quite warm enough to take off his jacket.

Without realizing it he had already made it to his next class, he was super early but went ahead and sat down. Branch pulled out a book from bag and started reading.

Branch, now done with classes, headed home to get changed for work. He drove his beat up older car to his apartment in a somewhat shady part of town. It wasn't a bad place to live, but you were liable to see drug deals especially at night. As long as you didn't look around you too much nobody messed with you. He learned long ago to just keep to himself and not draw any attention, hence the amount of black he wore. Plus it made others steer clear of him, which was exactly what he wanted. He was more a loner, his only real friend was GD. His life has never been easy, and his past still dragged him down so it was easier to just be by himself for the most part.

He worked in a factory that cut wood and particle board that made cheap furniture. It wasn't the best job, and probably not the healthiest, but it helped pay the bills and kept him in shape. And they worked with him for his college schedule and other activities. It wouldn't be a long shift today since he had other priorities.

His thoughts however would not leave him in peace. Try as he might he could not get the girl out of his head. _This has to stop,_ he thought. He turned back to his work running his machine and concentrated.

After a few hours he left to go home once again and change. Now he could move on to a more enjoyable part of his day. For not being a nice guy to most people, he actually enjoyed tutoring kids after school. His old elementary school allowed him to come in after school was over and help kids who were having trouble. He'd had to prove himself to them by way of testing before they allowed it, but once they knew he understand pretty much anything that an elementary student needed to know they were fine with it. They didn't pay him for it, but he liked it too much to give it up. There were so many kids out there that needed help that didn't get it at home.

He thought about the little girl he tutored almost every day after school. She was much like him, but much more friendly. She hasn't had an easy life, starting in a broken home then being forced into foster care when she was no longer being cared for properly. He knew how that was having been in the system as well. She didn't have many friends because she was shorter than the other kids and had a deep voice for a girl. This was off-putting to other students since she was also a little badass and didn't put up with anyone's crap. She always stood up for herself, and others when necessary. She was almost like a little sister to him, he wasn't supposed to play favorites with the students he tutored but he couldn't help it.

It was 3:30 when he got to the school, he walked into the building and down the hall where the tutoring room was. When he reached the classroom, he looked in to see the girl already working on her homework. There were a few other kids in the room as well and he would help them out too if they needed it. She looked up just as he entered.

"Branch!" She yelled excitedly, running over to him to hug him.

He normally wouldn't accept a hug, but he made an exception for the young girl.

"Hey Smidge, how are you today?" He asked her, calling her by her nickname. Her real name was Sarah, but he had always called her Smidge.

She smiled up at him, "Good! No one made fun of me today."

"That's good to hear. Are you ready to work on your homework?"

With a slight pout she replied, "Yeah, it's math though. You know I'm not good at it."

This made Branch chuckle, "Oh come on now, it's not that hard."

They headed over to the table she had been sitting at and sat down. Branch looked at the homework she had been working on, the math was very easy for him but for a 9-year-old it could be challenging. She was working on multiplication and basic division. Some of it was already done but the harder questions were still blank.

"Your answers are good on the ones you did, but do you understand how to find the answers to these?" He pointed to the questions she had skipped.

"I know they showed us in class but I forgot, could you show me?" The young girl asked.

"Yeah, here." Branch replied. He began showing her how to multiply the two double digit numbers together.

"You see how I did that?" He asked.

She looked slightly confused but confident, "I think so, let me try."

Branch let her try it herself. It wasn't long before she was done and had the correct answer.

"Good job." He told her.

"Thanks." Replied the young girl and she moved on to the next equation.

The afternoon went much like this. Some of the other students would come and ask Branch for help in subjects like science or English. They were more hesitant around him than Smidge was, he knew he looked off-putting but he was never mean or rude to kids. It was just adults that bothered him.

Once it was getting to be about 5 Branch knew he had to go, the students weren't allowed to stay any longer without special permission or if an event was occurring.

"I'll see you tomorrow, okay?" He said to the young girl.

She pouted, "Okay."

Smidge gave him a quick hug and headed out the door where her foster parents were waiting for her in their car. He always hated watching her get into that car. Some foster parents were nice, some not so much. He didn't know if these were good or bad, Smidge always seemed a little hesitant to go but she never looked like she was treated badly. He knew there was no sense in dwelling on it, it wouldn't help anything if he did so he headed to his car and went home.

Once home Branch ate dinner while reading his book. He didn't watch much tv, he would watch movies when GD invited himself over but mostly he preferred to read or listen to music.

Before he knew it, it was already 10 and he needed to go to bed soon. He showered and got ready for bed. As he headed to his bedroom he passed the closed door to the spare bedroom. Branch hadn't been in there in a while so on a whim he decided to go in. Obviously, it looked the same as it had before. There were bookshelves lining two walls, a window on one wall, and the other wall contained a part of his past he wished he could just put behind him. He went over to the wall and looked at it. Thread connected pictures and newspaper articles from the past 10 years. The newest article however was two years old.

Branch sighed and put his hand on the wall over the article that covered his grandmother's murder, "I'm so sorry grandma…"

He did not have time to deal with this right now, so he pulled his hand away from the wall and wiped the unshed tears from his eyes. He could now allow himself to think about that, he had studies and other priorities to take care of. Maybe one day he would get closure for the incident, but until any new leads showed up he would continue to be left in the dark. It was one reason he had a hard time letting anyone new in, losing someone you loved was difficult and sometimes very hard to get over. He should know, his grandmother's death still bothered him after 10 years. Shaking his head, he left the room and headed to his own bedroom. Before he was able to fall asleep his thoughts ventured from the past to where they didn't need to: the pink haired girl.

The next morning Branch awoke and readied himself for classes, dressing in his usual all black getup and raking a hand though his jet-black hair. He took a look in the mirror and shrugged; his hair was disheveled but his clothes were clean so it was good enough. Deciding he didn't want to cook this morning he drove to the college and went to the cafeteria for breakfast. He took his seat after putting scrambled eggs, bacon, and some grapefruit on his plate. Branch had always been a healthy eater, despite not making the best money.

He was eating quietly and looking at some notes for a few of his other classes. when he heard someone call his name. Looking up he saw GD walking towards him. Branch was about to wave and say hi but realized someone was behind his friend…. _Oh no, it's the girl._


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Hey guys! I found some time to write this chapter, I do have a real day job so be patient with me. Thank you for all the views and reviews! I appreciate each and every one.**

Varghul: I figured it would be more interesting to see both sides of the story.

mlpfanceline1: Glad to see readers are liking the perspective change. I wanted Branch to be really smart, I was very good in math in school so it's something I could take from experience. You'll have to keep reading to see what happens next :)

Guest 1: Glad your loving the story, thank you!

Guest 2: Thank you for being "patient" with me, but here's another chapter to tide you over.

With that, here we go!

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Chapter 4

It was a nice day outside, not quite as cool as yesterday morning had been. There was a slight breeze, but the sun was shining brightly so the two students stayed plenty warm in their t-shirts as they walked across campus towards the cafeteria. They had been silent since leaving the music hall not really knowing what to say to each other.

"So, your name's Poppy right?" Guy asked the girl.

Poppy looked at him confused, "Yeah, how did you know that?"

"Chenille told me when she told me about the coffee incident." Guy replied.

She wanted to facepalm herself, she'd forgotten that he was friends with Chenille and Satin. "Oh yeah right, I'm sorry I completely forgot."

Guy chuckled, "It's alright, I hear you're majoring in music too."

"Yeah, I love to sing. I'd really love to write my own song for the project, but I've never done that before. Omg there's so much that I can do!" Poppy was getting excited thinking about the possibilities for her performance.

"Calm down girl. There's plenty of students here who will help you, Satin and Chenille could give you pointers. Since they're getting a minor in music they've been through the class before. And my girlfriend Suki is really good with making music, like on the computer. We also have a full band to help out with those that are just singing." Guy said, thinking of all the ways she could get help with the project.

"Really?!" Poppy yelled excitedly, "Oh my gosh that would be so awesome! I will totes let you know if I need any help."

"Just let me know and we can set it up." Guy said to her, appreciating her enthusiasm.

Poppy flashed him a huge smile, "Thanks."

They had finally reached the cafeteria and walked inside. It was pretty full inside already as most students ate breakfast there instead cooking for themselves. Poppy hadn't been able to spot Chenille or Satin yet, but assumed Guy already knew where they were so she just kept following. What, or rather who, she hadn't expected to see on their walk was Branch. He was sitting there alone eating his breakfast and looking at some papers laid out on the table, but from a distance she couldn't tell what they were.

She was hoping that he wouldn't notice them, but unfortunately, she didn't get what she wanted.

"Hey Branch." She heard Guy call out. Poppy got behind Guy just praying he would miss her, but knew that it probably wouldn't work.

 _Please don't see me, please don't see me._ She thought, but when she looked out from behind Guy Branch was staring right at her with the same scowl and beautiful sky-blue eyes she had seen the day before. Quickly she looked away and blushed, embarrassed. There was no way he'd forgotten about yesterday.

"You remember Poppy right?" Guy smiled and gestured to Poppy.

Poppy wished she could just disappear, she wasn't sure who Guy was messing with more: her or Branch. Knowing she couldn't avoid him though she gave him a small wave, but didn't dare say anything to him.

Branch huffed in irritation, "Yeah, I remember."

He quickly looked back down at the papers on his table and seemed to ignore them.

"Oh, come on man don't be like that, you know it was just an accident." Guy said to the black-haired boy who still held a scowl on his face.

"Yeah whatever." Branch mumbled as a reply, not bothering to look at them as he spoke.

Poppy wanted out of there, so she said the first thing that came to her mind, "Hey Guy aren't Satin and Chenille waiting for us?"

Guy looked at her seeing the desperation in her eyes, "Yeah let's go, see ya later Branch."

"See ya." Branch said not even looking up at them.

The two started walking away. Guy was smiling but Poppy wasn't sure how to feel.

"Is he always like that?" She asked Guy. As she did she turned around to look at Branch, he was too concentrated on what he was reading to even notice her stare.

"Grumpy? Not always but I think you have him flustered. You're the first person in years to mess with him. He's used to everyone avoiding him, fearing him even. I know you didn't mean to but running into him yesterday 'messed' with his routine." Guy replied, using his hands to demonstrate air quotes around the word 'messed.'

Poppy blushed, "I didn't realize I'd 'messed' with him. That is not the first impression I want to make with a guy." She hadn't meant to say that last sentence, quickly she covered her hand over her mouth.

"Not that I'm looking to meet a guy or anything." She tried to correct herself before Guy could make any assumptions, but it was too late.

Guy flashed her a knowing smile, "Uh huh sure, we'll see if you're saying those words later on."

Poppy cocked her head to the side a little confused, but she really wanted to change the subject.

Just then they reached the table where Satin and Chenille were sitting eating breakfast. There was also a guy sitting with them Poppy had yet to meet. The guy was a little on the heavier side but appeared to be much taller than even Guy. He had white-blonde hair that was held together by gel in a fohawk.

"Hey girls, Biggie." Guy said to the trio as he and Poppy sat down at the table.

"Hey." Satin and Chenille replied at the same time.

"Hi Guy!" The other boy replied excitedly as he turned to Poppy. "And who might you be?"

Poppy could tell he had an English accent, "I'm Poppy, I'm new here."

"Well it's nice to meet you Poppy." He said to the pink-haired girl.

"And this is Biggie." Chenille said to Poppy, "He's majoring in the culinary arts and he's an amazing chef."

"Oh, stop it Chenille." Biggie blushed waving his hand at her.

"So, we see Guy finally found you." Satin said gesturing to Guy.

"Yeah he found me in my music class and talked me into coming to breakfast with you guys." Poppy replied.

"And on the way here we ran into Branch," Guy smiled and turned to look at the Grump who was sitting not fifty feet away from their table, "And either he's still mad about yesterday, or, and I think I'm right on this one, Poppy's got him flustered."

"What?!" The twins yelled out at the same time.

Chenille pointed at Poppy, "I thought we told you not to mess with him."

"Yeah he's bad news." Satin piped in with her sister.

Before Poppy could defend herself, Guy chimed in, "Oh girls, he's not that bad. He's just not the nicest guy, and after what happened with Satin you both are just still mad at him."

There was awkward silence now as no one spoke. Satin and Chenille both gave Guy death glares and their nostrils were flaring with anger. Poppy looked between the three and even at Biggie who looked at her and shook his head.

"Satin, what happened with you and Branch?" Poppy hesitantly asked Satin.

Not even looking at Poppy Satin replied, "I'm not talking about this." The girl with the pink highlights grabbed her tray and left without saying another word to the group.

They all watched her leave, but only one of them didn't know why Satin was so upset. Poppy looked to Guy for an answer.

"I'm sorry Poppy but I can't tell you, either she or Branch has to tell you." Guy said looking apathetic.

She heard Chenille's voice being directed towards her, "Poppy, I'm only telling you this to protect you. I don't want to see you get hurt. Branch is just not a nice guy, and you seem like such a nice girl, please choose your company wisely. But I gotta go make sure Satin is okay. I'll see you guys later."

They all said goodbye to the girl with blue highlights. This really made Poppy wonder what happened between Satin and Branch. Before she could dwell on it too long though Guy's voice interrupted her thoughts.

"Don't think too much on it Poppy," He said to her, "Satin is kind of a drama queen and there are days when she's no nicer than Branch is. He's really not a bad guy, he's just not had an easy life and sometimes it easier to be mean to people than to be nice."

"Really? I find it so much easier to be nice to people, I prefer it actually." Poppy replied, slightly confused about this new information on Branch.

Guy shrugged, "Most people do, but he's a bit different. He's actually kind of a cool guy, he'd have more friends if he really wanted to. But don't be afraid of him, his bark is worse than his bite. You're going to run into him on campus, don't try to avoid it. But if he's someone you think you might be into, don't push him. He's a very private guy, and he can get mean quick if you don't tread carefully."

Poppy's face turned the darkest shade of red possible, "Guy, I'm not looking for anything right now. I just moved here and am just making friends. Plus, a guy like Branch wouldn't be into me, I'm too "pink" for him as the twins say."

Guy scoffed, "You don't have to listen to everything they say Pinky, you do what feels right. Sometimes you just have to think and do for yourself."

"My name is Poppy." Poppy replied.

He just smiled at her, "I know, but unless you change your hair I'm calling you Pinky."

She looked to Biggie who smiled and said, "Yeah I think Pinky suits you."

"Okay fine, if you insist." Poppy looked between the two boys, she tried to look irritated but ended up smiling.

"Well guys it's been fun, but I have to get to class. Poppy I'm sorry our first meeting had to be short and a little awkward, but we'll hang out again yeah?" Biggie stood up to leave and grabbed his tray.

"Yeah of course." She replied, now realizing Biggie really was much taller than all of them, even the other guys.

It was now just Poppy and Guy siting in silence, "Well Guy, this has been uh… informative, but I do have to get to my next class. I'll see you later."

"Alright Pinky, let me know if you need any help on your project." Guy said to her.

"Will do!" She yelled back at him as she was leaving the cafeteria.

Once outside she took a few deep, calming breaths. This day had been a lot on her already and she still had a few more classes to go. She started walking, she really didn't have to be at class for another hour but felt she had to get out of the cafeteria. There was just too much tension after what happened. Branch had still been sitting there when she walked by but neither dared to look at the other. As far as she knew he hadn't even noticed her.

She found a bench near the center of campus and sat down, the sun was still shining brightly with no clouds in the sky. There was no longer a breeze either. Poppy pulled out her phone and logged into her social media and just scrolled. All the nonsense kept her mind off of what just happened and off of Branch.

Before she knew it, it was actually time for her to get to class.

This day had gone much as the last had, classes were short and Poppy's day was over by 3. She began walking to her dorm thinking about what she could do for the rest of the day. After what happened with Satin earlier she thought it best not to text Chenille, she would just wait for her to text or she'd see them tomorrow in art class.

She reached her dorm and went inside; her room was only on the second floor, so it only took a minute to get there. Once in her room she set her bag down and sat in her desk chair. She hadn't checked her college e-mail in a few days and it would keep her busy for a few minutes. There wasn't anything important, so she logged off and sighed in boredom. With classes just starting there wasn't any homework or studying to do. She swiveled her chair to face the tv, grabbing the remote she turned it on and let the tv take over her thoughts before a certain boy could.

Poppy jumped up from her chair, it was dark in her room save for the tv. She hadn't realized she'd fallen asleep. Her clock read 8:30, she'd completely missed dinner. _Great,_ she thought to herself, _Now I'm going to have to go somewhere and get something._ She checked in the mirror to make sure she was at least looked decent and headed out the door, locking it behind her.

It was already after 9 when she'd gotten back, she'd had to settle for fast food, so she could get back and get to bed on time. Eating her meal Poppy realized she hadn't checked her phone since before she fell asleep. Pulling her phone out from her bag she found three messages and one missed call waiting for her. The missed call and one text were from her father and the other two texts were from unknown numbers. She checked the one from her father first.

"Hi princess, I tried calling but I guess you're busy. Hope you had a great day. Love you Dad."

Poppy quickly responded, she didn't want her dad to worry.

"Hey dad I'm fine just fell asleep this afternoon. I'll call you tomorrow. Love you!"

She hesitantly opened one of the texts from an unknown number.

"Hi Poppy, this is Guy. I hope you don't mind but I got your number from Chenille. Sorry about earlier with Satin….and Branch."

This wasn't what she was expecting, but sent a quick reply.

"It's okay Guy I don't mind. No need to apologize you didn't do anything. Ttyl Poppy."

She opened the last text and her phone slipped from hand and hit the floor.

"Hey Poppy, thought you could hide from me?"

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 **Cliffhanger! Mwahahaha...**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Hey guys! I know it's taken me a while to update but here's a new chapter for ya! Thank you all for the reviews! I'm getting too many to individually reply like in my last chapters but if you have any questions I will gladly answer :) It's good to see those who are reviewing are liking it so far. Some**

 **Warning: Some cussing in this one**

 **With that said, here we go..!**

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Chapter 5

He heard shoes hitting hard and fast on the floor as the person passed him. They were walking so fast he actually felt a breeze as they passed. Looking up he saw it was Satin, who looked pissed as she stormed out of the cafeteria. _Oh no,_ Branch thought to himself, _what happened this time? I wonder if GD…_ His thoughts trailed off as another girl passed into his line of sight. It was Chenille, she threw him a dirty look before trailing after her sister. Chenille had never bothered him, she was kind of cool actually. It wasn't until she took her sister's side completely in the situation that he'd had a problem with her. She was one girl he could actually hang out with when GD was around without getting annoyed.

Not a minute later, someone else followed in the twins' footsteps. It was Poppy, she didn't really look upset. Confused maybe, or a little distracted but not upset. He looked at her for only a moment before putting his head back down.

Branch heard the chair on the other side of the table screech as it was pulled across the worn cafeteria tile before someone sat down. He looked up to see GD, who was giving him a not-so-happy look.

"What?" Branch asked in irritation.

GD gave him a look, "You know what. Why are you trying to scare off someone new? She's a really nice girl and she's new here."

The black-haired boy huffed, "I'm mean to everyone, I'm not going to make an exception for her."

"Well you should. You need to get back out there man. You're alone way too much and a nice girl might do you some good."

"No thanks, I'm fine being alone." This wasn't entirely true, he did get lonely, but no way was he telling GD that.

"No, you're not. I know what went down with Satin- "GD started but was completely shut down.

"Don't you dare go there! She has blown the whole thing out of proportion and is probably telling Poppy right now how much of a scum bag I am." Branch was seething, he couldn't believe GD would even bring it up.

"Oh, so you do care what she thinks?" GD smiled at him, completely unfazed by Branch's anger.

"I don't care what anyone thinks." Branch replied menacingly.

"Ouch!" GD pretended to be wounded.

"Sorry." Branch mumbled in response.

GD decided it was time to leave Branch alone about the subject, for now anyway. "So, what you working on there?"

Branch looked back up relieved that GD had finally changed the subject, "Just going over my drawings for architecture. You know if anything's wrong with them they dock points."

"Oof sounds rough. But knowing you, you've been over those drawing at least 100 times and they're probably perfect." GD said smiling knowing what a perfectionist Branch could be.

"Eh probably." Branch said acting a little cocky as a rare small smile cross his lips.

"I really don't know how you do it man: a double major in architecture and engineering, a job, a teaching assistant, and tutoring elementary school kids." GD looked at the black-haired boy in awe as he counted off the accomplishments on his fingers.

"You wanna know my secret?" Branch leaned forward in his chair towards GD like he was about to give him some top-secret information.

"My secret is…"

GD leaned in closer in anticipation, wanting to hear this secret of Branch's.

It was at this point that Branch's façade broke, he started laughing at seeing the look on GD's face.

"Dude, you should see your face." Branch said trying to stop laughing.

GD was a little stunned at first, Branch rarely joked or laughed. Usually he was just sarcastic. He sat back in his chair and crossed his arms.

"Man, you had me going. I thought you really had a secret." GD looked towards Branch feigning disappointment.

Branch finally contained his laughter. "No man I just do it. If it's something that's important to me I make time for it. I have a drink every now and then when it's gets to be too much, but I'll always make time for my priorities. I certainly don't know how you party all the time and keep passing classes."

GD shrugged and then gestured towards himself, "I'm just that good man."

"Pssh whatever." Branch had to stifle another laugh. He couldn't remember when he'd last truly laughed, it'd been a while.

Branch looked at his watch, "Oh shit! I'm gonna be late. I gotta get these drawings to my professor within the next fifteen minutes."

He gathered his papers and put them in his bag as quickly and carefully as he could. Before he could grab his plate GD already had it.

"Go man, I got this." GD said.

"Thanks. I'll see you later." Branch was out of the cafeteria and walking across campus towards the architecture building as fast he could without running.

It wasn't long before the building came into view. It was a 3-story red brick building that sat near the middle of campus. Branch knew this building inside and out as it had been like a second home to him for the past 3 years. The lower level held all the classrooms, the second level held staff offices, and the third level was where several studios were located where students could actually build their drawings.

Looking at his watch he breathed a sigh of relief, he still had ten minutes. He made his way into the building and up to the second floor where his professor's office was. Branch had had all summer to work on these, but he was still a little nervous about handing them in. These were the first buildings he'd gotten to design completely by himself and even though he'd checked them a thousand time he was still worried he'd forgotten something. He had acted confident in front of GD, but inside he was really nervous. The professors here expected a lot from him being a third-year student.

He found his professor's office and since the door was open, he walked in after giving a light tap on the door.

His professor, an older man in his 50's turned to face Branch. "Oh Branch. Haven't seen you in a while, how was your summer?"

"It was fine, sir." Branch said as he slowly walked into the office. He set his bag down on a nearby chair, pulled his drawings from his bag, and handed the professor his papers.

"Ah I see you have your assignment. Cutting it a little close, aren't you?" His professor asked with a small smile as he took the papers from the boy.

"I know sir, I'm sorry. I lost track of time this morning and I wanted to make sure they were perfect." Branch didn't want to disappoint the man, he had worked very hard on those.

"It's fine Branch, I'm sure they're good like all of your work. Now go on, I'll see you in class tomorrow." The professor said.

"I'll be there." Branch said as he grabbed his bag and headed out the door. Once in the hallway he breathed deeply, thankful that the project was over, and he could relax until grades were posted. He didn't have to walk nearly as fast out of the building, so he took his time reaching the main entrance. It was really nice outside; the sun was warm, and the breeze had died down. With it being unusually warm he stripped off his jacket and put it in his bag.

He didn't have another class for a few hours, so he decided to go the library where he knew it would be quiet. As he walked he saw the pink-haired girl sitting on one of the many benches on campus playing on her phone. He stopped and debated on apologizing to her.

 _Wait, why should I apologize to her? She ran into me._ Branch thought to himself.

 _ **Maybe because you were kind of an ass to her at breakfast.**_ His conscience chimed in.

 _Where did that come from?_ Branch pondered. _I can't remember the last time I thought I should actually apologize to someone._

He shook himself from his thoughts and continued walking. His staring had lasted way too long, and he didn't need her to catch him staring this time; or for anyone else to catch him staring.

His walk to the library was uneventful like always, everyone avoided him and got out of his way. He found his usual spot on the second floor and sat down to read his book.

The rest of his day was fairly boring, he'd had a few more classes and by the time he was done it was too late to go to work or to go tutor after school. He would have to apologize to Smidge for that the next time he saw her. With nothing left to do he headed home to his lonely apartment.

Once home he made dinner and sat down to watch tv, again not something he did often but he just felt like it today. He did enjoy the Walking Dead though, which was on tonight. The heartlessness of some of the characters and the violence in the show drew him in.

After the episode was over Branch turned the tv off and sat there starting at the wall for a while. Then he turned to look at his guitar case. He hadn't played in a while but felt the sudden need to get it out. Slowly, he walked over to the case and opened it. Branch pulled out his acoustic guitar and held it in his lap. He strummed a few cords, it didn't sound great at first since he was out of practice but as he kept it sounded better and better. Before he knew it, he was playing a familiar song and he began to sing.

" _It's been a while_

 _Since I could_

 _Hold my head up high_

 _And it's been a while_

 _Since I first saw you_

 _And it's been a while_

 _Since I could stand_

 _On my own two feet again_

 _And it's been a while_

 _Since I could call you_

 _Everything I can't remember_

 _As messed up as it all may seem_

 _The consequences that are rendered_

 _I've stretched myself beyond my means"_

Branch stopped playing and singing even though he was only halfway through the song. He just couldn't go on. His grandmother used to love to hear him sing and said he had a voice like an angel's. Normally he didn't sing but something tonight had called to him. He knew if he kept going though it would stir up emotions he didn't want to deal with right now.

He got up and put the guitar back in its case. As he did his mind wondered to the pink haired girl, err Poppy. Maybe he should have apologized to her today. He knew she hadn't meant to run into him and it in no way excused him for being an ass. And he did wonder if Satin and/or Chenille had been talking shit about him like they always did. He wasn't a bad guy, he just kept people at a distance, so they wouldn't get hurt. Satin just didn't get that and instead of just moving on she was out there slandering him. Luckily, he had GD who knew the truth and hopefully defended him if necessary.

Branch had been standing there for several minutes stuck in his thoughts before he was finally able to escape. He looked at the clock on the wall and realized it was well past time for him to go to bed.

He quickly got ready for bed and laid down. But he just couldn't sleep, so instead he pulled out his phone and logged into Facebook. He didn't log on very much, it was usually just stupid shit anyway. It's not like he had many friends anyhow, but he did allow some other students from architecture and engineering to friend him. He didn't really talk to them but if accepting their friend requests made them leave him alone in real life he'd do it.

It didn't take long before he was bored and put his phone on the charger for the night. He still tossed and turned for a long time before finally falling asleep with thoughts of Poppy on his mind.

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 **The song does not belong to me, it's "It's Been a While" by Staind.**


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Hey guys! Here's another chapter for you, sorry it's taking so long to update, work has been crazy! I love and appreciate all my reviews, you guys have been nothing but nice so far :) Please keep reading and leaving reviews, I know some chapters can get kind of slow but I promise I'm doing my best to keep them interesting.**

 **With that said, here you go...**

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Chapter 6

Poppy shook as fear ran through her. She put her arms around her middle and sat forward in her chair taking deep breaths. _How did he find me?_ Poppy thought to herself. This was not supposed to happen. All of this was supposed to be behind her when she moved here, she'd even changed her number to avoid this. What was she supposed to do now? Should she tell someone?

 _No, this is my problem. I'll deal with it. For now, I'll keep it to myself and ignore this text._

Slowly Poppy stood up and leaned down to pick up her phone. She deleted the text as quickly as she could and sighed in relief. Now it was something she could pretend never happened.

Deciding she couldn't eat anymore she threw the rest of her meal in the trash and set to work getting ready for bed. After a quick shower and brushing her teeth Poppy climbed into bed, but she just couldn't sleep. It didn't take her long to realize she didn't want to sleep in the dark after reading that creepy text, so she turned on her tv to a sappy romantic comedy hoping it would make her feel better and let her forget the events of the night.

Poppy did not sleep well that night. All night she was tossing and turning, she just couldn't get that text out of her head. It was still early when Poppy finally decided to just get up. The sun hadn't even come up yet. _Well, at least I won't be running late to art class this time_ , she thought to herself. She attempted a smile, but it just didn't happen, her head was killing her, and she knew she had to look terrible from the lack of sleep.

She got up slowly from her bed rubbing her face. Her feet took her to the window where she pressed her forehead up against the cool glass. She breathed a sigh of relief, the coolness felt great on her aching head. Peeling her forehead from the glass, Poppy grabbed a hoodie and decided she would go outside and see if the cool air would alleviate this headache.

There were a few benches that were located right in front of her dorm. She knew she probably looked scary with the hoodie and disheveled hair, but right now she really didn't care. The cool air felt great on her face she exited the building and sat down on one of the benches. Poppy took several deep, calming breaths as her head instantly felt better. It was nice to just sit in silence, obviously there was no students out and about yet, so Poppy was left in peace.

Before long the sun began to rise. The sky was absolutely beautiful with hues of red, blue, purple, and orange dancing across it as the sun slowly came up.

 _Wow, it's so beautiful._ Poppy thought to herself. She couldn't remember the last time she had watched a sun rise. If nothing else though, the lack of sleep was worth it. She should try to do this more often, it was quiet and peaceful this time of morning. It was as if the world itself wasn't awake yet and nothing could disturb her in this moment.

It wasn't long before the sun was completely up, and Poppy decided to go back inside to get ready for the day. Her headache was gone, and she felt much better. Once inside the she got dressed and put on her make-up. She did her best to cover up the bags under her eyes, but they were still obvious. Not trying to look fancy today she just threw on jeans and t-shirt. Lastly, she put her hair in her signature ponytail and swept her bangs to the side, she rarely wore her hair down.

Still too early to head to class, Poppy decided she would get coffee and breakfast at Starbucks. Her headache was gone but caffeine would help keep it at bay if it decided to come back. She grabbed her bag and headed out the door, locking it behind her like always.

The line was short at the coffee shop, so she didn't have to wait long. Once she had her coffee and croissant she found a table in the corner and sat down. She people watched from the window as she sipped her coffee and ate her breakfast. More and more students were getting out and about as she watched. Before long though she got bored and pulled out her phone to check her Facebook. She had a friend request from and Guy and she quickly confirmed it. As she scrolled she felt a sudden, uneasy presence next to her. Looking up she saw the one person she never thought she'd see without a scowl.

"B-Branch!" Poppy stuttered.

He looked at her, almost as if he wanted to smile, "Poppy, right?"

"Yeah, uh, what are you doing here?" Poppy asked timidly.

Branch lifted his coffee cup, "Same as you, getting coffee. You're not gonna spill it this time, are you?" He pulled his cup back towards him and looked at her questioningly.

Poppy smiled and blushed, "Not this time. You know I really am sorry about that."

"I know." Branch said as he took a sip of his coffee. "Me too, that was damn good coffee." He gave her a smirk.

Poppy laughed, was this really the same guy she'd run into two days ago, the same guy who'd yelled at her and always seems to be in a bad mood?

"Actually, GD talked to me- "Branch was cut off by Poppy.

"Wait, who's GD?" Poppy asked confused.

"Right, you know him as Guy. His last name is Diamond, so I've always just called him GD." Branch replied.

"Oh." Was all Poppy could think to say.

"Anyway, he talked to me, and I feel like I should apologize for being, as he called it, rude." Branch rolled his eyes. "So, I just wanted to say…. I'm sorry." He looked as though it pained him to say it.

Poppy's eyes widened in shock, she couldn't believe what she had just heard. "Wait, you're apologizing to me?!"

Branch stiffened, "Yeah, don't get used to it. It's a one-time thing."

This made Poppy smile, maybe he wasn't the grump that he made out to be. She gestured to the chair across from her, "Do you wanna have a seat?"

"Nah I gotta get to class. And that means so do you." Branch replied.

"What? Already?" Poppy looked at the clock on the phone. Branch was right, they had 15 minutes but still, she wanted to be there early today.

"Well see ya later Poppy." Branch said as he started walking towards the door.

Poppy gathered her bag and her coffee and ran after him, "Wait Branch!"

The black-haired boy turned to see the girl running towards him, "Since we're going to the same place, do you mind if we walk together? I'll even be quiet if that's what you want."

Branch looked up and sighed loudly, almost as if asking 'Why me?'

"Fine, but let's keep the talking to a minimum." He gave her a stern look. There was the grump she recognized, but at this point she didn't care. He was actually letting her walk with him, but it was going to really hard not to talk.

The two set off across campus towards their classroom in silence. But they didn't get very far before Poppy couldn't hold it in anymore, "So what's your major?"

She looked to see Branch huff, "I thought we weren't gonna talk."

"You said 'keep the talking to a minimum.' This is an easy question Branch." She replied, giving him a smirk.

"Fine." He said exasperated. "I have a double major in Architecture and Engineering."

Poppy gasped, "Wow, you must be like really smart!"

"Yeah I guess." He replied, seeming uninterested in the conversation. But that didn't seem to faze Poppy.

"Why those two majors? They seem really hard."

"I like building and designing. Are you done with the questions?" Branch replied and gave her a hard look.

Poppy remembered what Guy had said about Branch being a private guy and not to push him. She was probably already pushing her luck with Branch and she didn't want to push him away. She still wasn't sure what exactly had gone down with him and Satin, but she didn't want to write him off just based on what the twins had said about him.

"For now." Poppy flashed him a big smile.

He looked away from her and shook his head. Poppy could have sworn she saw a small smile cross his lips before it faded like it had never happened.

The two continued on in silence until they reached the building that held their classroom. Poppy was about to open the door when she heard Branch say her name. She turned to face him.

"Poppy, I think maybe we should go in separately. I don't want Satin and Chenille to give you a hard time if they were to see you walking with me."

Poppy froze, she hadn't even thought about that. The twins would definitely have a fit, especially after what happened in the cafeteria yesterday.

"Okay." She replied.

"I'll go in first, in a couple of minutes you can come in okay?" Branch said to her.

Poppy nodded, "But first, Branch?"

He turned to look at her as he was about to open the door, "Yeah?"

"Are you really as bad a guy as they say you are?" Poppy asked.

Branch looked at the ground first before answering, "You'll have to judge that for yourself, later Pops."

With that he entered the building and out of Poppy's view. Did he really just call her Pops? Maybe he's not the guy Satin and Chenille say he is, he doesn't seem so bad so far. She had only known him a short time, but he was decent to her on their walk even if he didn't really want to talk he still didn't go out of his way to be mean.

After a couple of minutes Poppy entered the building and walked down the hall to find her classroom. She opened the same doors as she had last time and entered the massive auditorium that was being used as a classroom. Looking to her left she saw Satin and Chenille sitting in the same seats they were the first day, and there was an empty chair next to Chenille as there had been the last time. Poppy walked over and sat down in the empty chair, setting her bag on the floor.

"Hey." She said to Chenille.

Chenille turned to face her, "Hey Poppy, how are you today?"

"I'm fine." Poppy replied, "How about you?"

"I'm good." Chenille said giving her a smile.

"How's Satin?" Poppy whispered.

"Oh, she's fine. She got over it pretty quick yesterday." Chenille waved her hand at Satin as she talked.

"That's good." Poppy said relieved. "Hey Satin." She said to the other girl.

Satin looked at her, but it didn't appear she was in a good mood. "Hey Poppy." She said flatly.

Poppy looked at Chenille seeking an answer to the animosity from Satin. She'd done nothing wrong, and since she didn't know the whole story, and no one wanted to tell her, she wouldn't be able to tell if she had crossed a line or not.

"She's just grumpy today, don't take it personally." Chenille said to Poppy seeing the question in her eyes.

Poppy nodded and looked towards the front of the class as the professor started his lecture. She looked down and noticed Branch in usual spot in the front, but quickly pulled her eyes back up to the board so that Chenille or Satin wouldn't catch her looking at him.

Class was much longer when you had stay for almost a whole hour. Poppy had taken so many notes that her hand hurt. She'd already forgotten what she'd learn at the beginning of the hour by the end of the hour.

This time the trio left before Branch. Once outside Chenille asked her, "Hey we're gonna meet up with Guy and the others in the music hall, you wanna come?"

"Yeah sure." Poppy replied, wondering who all would be there. She followed the two girls not saying much since Satin still didn't seem to be in a good mood. Instead she listened to the twins' chit-chat about anything and everything they had going on.

It was a short walk to the music hall and the three girls entered the building. They walked down the hallway past the classroom where Poppy had her class and headed towards one the studio rooms. As they got closer Poppy could hear music coming from one of the rooms. This happened to be where Satin and Chenille stopped and opened the door. The girls entered with Poppy being last. She looked around and to her left was a couch and next to it a few chairs. There was a girl she didn't recognize at the sound board on the right side of the room, this girl had red-orange hair that was styled into a dreadlock ponytail. She looked to be about Satin and Chenille's age and was just as pretty as them. The girl turned to wave at them as they entered the room and then held up one finger indicating to give her a minute. Poppy looked in the actual recording booth to see Guy singing. Poppy walked across the room and sat in one of the chairs as Chenille and Satin had already taken seats on the couch.

Once again Poppy kept quiet as the twins talked and apparently waited for their friends to be done with what they were doing. She pulled out her phone to keep herself busy for the time being.

It was just a few minutes before the girl took off her headphones as Guy exited the recording booth. She turned to face Satin, Chenille, and Poppy and rolled her chair towards the three.

"You must be Poppy." She said stopping in front of her. "I'm Suki, Guy's girlfriend." Suki said extending her hand towards Poppy.

"Oh hi. Yeah I remember Guy talking about you." Poppy replied shaking her hand.

A moment later Guy entered the room and pulled up a seat next to Suki. "Looks like you met Poppy." He said looking at his girlfriend.

"Yeah, I thought you were joking about the pink hair." Suki said laughing, "But I like it. And if you need any help with your project Poppy let me know, I'm more than happy to help."

Poppy smiled, "Thanks! I'm not sure what I'm going to do yet, but I'll definitely let you know."

The group continued chatting for a while until a few of them had to get to class, one of them being Poppy. She'd had fun with the group and really liked Suki, she was fun and outgoing and seemed carefree – a lot like Guy. No wonder the two of them were together.

Poppy's day had gone by rather quickly despite having three classes and she was back to her room before she knew it. She checked her phone and called her father since she had neglected too yesterday. She told him about her day and the fact that her so-called enemy maybe really wasn't' an enemy and about her new friends. Her father had been glad to hear that she'd been making friends but again the call was cut short due to a meeting. They said their goodbye's and I love you's before hanging up.

There was a little homework for her to do today so Poppy got started. Thankfully it only took her an hour to do it all and she could relax for the rest of the day. She turned on the tv and let her mind wonder. As it had been doing a lot the past couple days, it wondered back to Branch. He had been so different today, not nice but not mean. It just made her want to get to know him better. She was so not looking for a relationship right now, but she wouldn't push it away either. There was no way she was letting one guy make her think that all guys are the same. If Branch absolutely wanted nothing to do with her then so be it, but until he said that she was going to try to get to know him. She did have at least four years here after all.

That night Poppy went to bed early after a quick supper and a shower. Her dreams were much more pleasant tonight as she now had a protector from her nightmares.

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 **I know it's taken several chapters but I finally got them talking!**

 **Please leave reviews :)**


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: Hey guys! So sorry about the late update. I'm sure most of you know TTBGO came on Netflix and I have been a bit preoccupied watching that lol. But I will try to update more. Please keep up the reviews, I appreciate each and every one :)**

 **Warning: Mild cussing, other than that please enjoy**

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Chapter 7

Even though it had taken him forever to get to sleep, his slumber had been peaceful. Branch rolled out of bed and got ready for his day. After he got dressed, he grabbed his stuff and headed out the door. He got to campus relatively quickly and headed to his favorite coffee place. Thankfully the line wasn't long when he got there, and he got his coffee pretty quickly. Branch was just about the walk out the door when he saw Poppy sitting at a table alone playing on her phone. This was his chance to apologize without any of her new friends around. He took one deep breath before walking over to her table. She didn't seem to notice him walk up at first, so he just stood there, deciding he would just wait for her to notice. It didn't take too long before she turned to look at him.

"B-Branch!" She stuttered. He could have sworn he'd even seen her jump a little.

He looked at her, fighting back a smile, "Poppy, right?"

"Yeah, uh, what are you doing here?" She asked, almost as if she was nervous that he was standing there.

Branch lifted his coffee cup, "Same as you, getting coffee. You're not gonna spill it this time, are you?" He pulled his cup back towards him and looked at her questioningly. Wait, was he really joking with her right now? Since when did he joke with anyone but GD, and that was just occasionally.

Poppy smiled, and he saw her blush, "Not this time. You know I really am sorry about that."

"I know." Branch said as he took a sip of his coffee. "Me too, that was damn good coffee." He gave her a smirk. _What are you doing?!_ He thought to himself, _Are you really trying to_ _ **flirt**_ _with her now?_

Poppy laughed, and he realized he needed to stop whatever it was that he was doing. He didn't need to try to lead her on or anything, it wouldn't be fair to her.

"Actually, GD talked to me- "Branch was cut off by Poppy.

"Wait, who's GD?" Poppy asked him confused.

"Right, you know him as Guy. His last name is Diamond, so I've always just called him GD." Branch replied.

"Oh." She said.

"Anyway, he talked to me, and I feel like I should apologize for being, as he called it, rude." Branch rolled his eyes. "So, I just wanted to say…. I'm sorry." It almost hurt to say it, but he knew he needed to. There was no reason to be blatantly mean to the girl, he just needed to keep her at arm's length.

Poppy's eyes widened, as if she was shocked at what she was hearing. "Wait, you're apologizing to me?!"

Branch stiffened, "Yeah, don't get used to it. It's a one-time thing." He almost never apologized to anyone for anything.

This made Poppy smile, man did she have a pretty smile. She gestured to the chair across from her, "Do you wanna have a seat?"

"Nah I gotta get to class. And that means so do you." Branch replied.

"What? Already?" Poppy looked at the clock on the phone, confirming what he had said.

"Well see ya later Poppy." Branch said as he started walking towards the door.

"Wait Branch!"

The black-haired boy turned to see the girl running towards him, "Since we're going to the same place, do you mind if we walk together? I'll even be quiet if that's what you want."

Branch looked up and sighed loudly, 'Why me?' he asked silently to the empty space above him.

"Fine, but let's keep the talking to a minimum." He gave her a stern look. Branch wasn't sure if he could actually keep her from talking, but he would try. He wasn't a big talker and didn't like others getting in his business.

The two set off across campus towards their classroom in silence. But they didn't get very far before Poppy asked her first question, "So what's your major?"

Branch huffed in annoyance, he thought she might have lasted a little longer. "I thought we weren't gonna talk."

"You said 'keep the talking to a minimum.' This is an easy question Branch." She replied, giving him a smirk.

"Fine." He said exasperated. "I have a double major in Architecture and Engineering."

Poppy gasped, "Wow, you must be like really smart!"

"Yeah I guess." He replied, trying to seem uninterested in the conversation. But that didn't seem to faze this girl.

"Why those two majors? They seem really hard."

"I like building and designing. Are you done with the questions?" Branch replied and gave her a hard look.

Branch actually wasn't annoyed at all, he appreciated her curiosity and her willingness to ask him questions. Most people just avoided him and assumed he was an asshole. But this young woman, who couldn't look any more naïve, was walking with him as if it was something she did every day. She may talk more than he would've liked, but surprisingly it didn't irritate like he thought it would. After dealing with Satin's nonsense, Poppy was like a breath of fresh air.

"For now." Poppy flashed him a big smile.

He looked away from her and shook his head. A small smile crossed his lips, but it was over quick, he didn't need her to see it and think she had accomplished something.

The two continued on in silence until they reached the building that held their classroom. Poppy was about to open the door, but Branch stopped her.

"Poppy, I think maybe we should go in separately. I don't want Satin and Chenille to give you a hard time if they were to see you walking with me."

Poppy stopped what she was doing. She had to know he was right, he didn't know her well, but he knew Satin and Chenille. They would be on her case if they saw her with him. Then they'd jump his ass, and he really didn't need that, nor did he want to deal with it. This just seemed easier for the both of them.

"Okay." She replied.

"I'll go in first, in a couple of minutes you can come in okay?" Branch said to her.

Poppy nodded, "But first, Branch?"

He turned to look at her as he was about to open the door, "Yeah?"

"Are you really as bad a guy as they say you are?" Poppy asked.

Branch looked at the ground first before answering, "You'll have to judge that for yourself, later Pops."

Was he a bad guy? No, but a guy like him did not need to think about a girl like her. After the short walk she seemed like a nice girl and he didn't want to be the guy to hurt her. Wait, did he just call her Pops? He hadn't realized he'd said it before it was too late. Branch really hoped she hadn't heard it, or if she did wasn't going to make deal of it.

His thoughts continued like this as he walked down the hall towards the classroom. He found the room and quickly found his seat at the front of the auditorium near the professor. After a few minutes he dared a glance back up to see if Poppy had made it. She had and was talking to Chenille, who looked happy to see her. He stole a quick glance to Satin, she looked unhappy but luckily didn't see him look. He'd had a decent morning and didn't need her dirty looks today.

The professor started his lecture a few minutes later. Branch took notes as he felt necessary, but didn't really have to give this class his full attention. It was just an introductory art class after all. He looked back at Poppy a few times, but she never saw him nor did Satin or Chenille. The three were way too busy taking notes.

Class went by slow and Branch couldn't wait to get out of there, he just couldn't seem to sit still and wanted some fresh air. He was secretly hoping to see Poppy again on his way out, but she was already gone by the time he reached the doors. The fresh air felt great as he inhaled and started walking.

The rest of day seemed rather uninteresting compared to his morning. Even in his architecture class he was distracted by his conversation with the pink haired girl. Several times he caught himself lost in his thoughts and had to really concentrate to focus on what his professors were saying. It was almost a blessing to get to work that afternoon since he could get lost in thoughts there. As long as he didn't stick his hand in a machine he was good.

Work flew by and before Branch knew it he was heading to the elementary school for after-school tutoring. He parked his car and headed into the building and down to the tutoring room. Surprisingly when he walked into the room there was no little girl running up to hug him like there usually was. Instead she was sitting at her normal table with her head down doing her homework. Branch walked over to her and sat down.

"Hey Smidge." He said to the young girl.

"Hey." She mumbled back.

He lowered his head to try and get her to look up at him, "You're not mad about yesterday, are you? You know sometimes I have classes too."

She looked up at him, her eyes were red and swollen as if she had been crying. "No. I got made fun of again today for being short and then a boy pushed me in the hall and then laughed and all his friends laughed at me too."

He felt bad the young girl, she'd been bullied most of her young life based on her size. He couldn't fathom what she was going through as no one had dared to mess with him. She looked like she was about to cry again.

"I'm so sorry Smidge." He held his arms out to her to give her a hug. She hesitated at first, but then got up from her chair and wrapped her arms around Branch's neck as he wrapped his arms around her back. They stayed like this for a few minutes, until Smidge pulled away and sat back down in her chair. She was still sniffling a bit, but no crying.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Branch asked.

Smidge shook her head, "No, the principal caught the boys and they got in trouble so it's over with. But you could help me with my homework. It's English today." A small smile crossed her face.

Branch smiled a little too before beginning to help the girl with her homework.

When Branch got home that night he made dinner and sat down to watch some tv. Not long after he was done with dinner he heard his phone chime with a text message. _Who the hell would be texting me?_ He thought to himself as he walked over the counter where his phone was. Only a few people even had his number: a few coworkers, a few other students, and his only friend GD.

Picking up his phone it said on the screen that he had a new message from GD.

"Hey man, did you talk to Poppy today?"

Ugh, this was all Branch wanted to deal with. Did GD always want to be in is business? Branch took a few minutes before replying.

"Yeah." Branch was trying to keep this short and simple, but all GD had to do was ask Poppy and she would tell him if he didn't.

"You actually apologized to her?!"

"Yes, okay!"

"Easy man, I just wanted to make sure you didn't scare her off :P"

Branch huffed in annoyance, now GD was using emojis. And no, he didn't want to scare her off, but he didn't want her getting any ideas either.

"I'm not going to scare her off GD, I'm not heartless."

"Damn Branch, I don't think you've ever said that before."

"Did she tell you anything?"

"About what? You apologizing, no?"

Branch sighed in relief, good she hadn't told them about that morning.

"Good, don't need the twins trying to talk shit about me again."

"How'd you know about that?"

Oh no, how was he going to explain this one. He guessed he'd just have to go with the truth.

"Poppy asked me if what they said was true, told her she'd have to figure it out on her own."

"Ah, now see if you didn't care you would have just told her it was all true and you would have just walked away from her."

"Whatever, did you just want to talk about Poppy or was there something else?"

"Nope, just wanted to ask you before asking her. You know I would haha."

"Yeah, yeah. See you tomorrow."

"See ya man."

Branch set his phone down, leaned back on the couch and stared at the ceiling. It was good to know Poppy hadn't been talking about their small conversation that morning to her friends. He assumed she was gossipy just like Satin and Chenille, maybe he was too quick to judge her. For some odd reason he felt the need to get to know her, it was something he'd never felt before. Other than caring about Smidge and GD there wasn't anyone else in his life. But something about this girl drew him in, he wasn't sure if he liked it or not. She really wasn't his type, but he probably wasn't hers either. Either way, he wouldn't avoid her, but also wouldn't go out of his way to seek her out. Maybe she'd find somebody else and there'd be no reason to think about her anymore.

Branch sighed, he didn't know how to feel about any of this and that annoyed him more. He was used to life being very routine, now this girl was messing it up. It should bother, but for some reason it didn't. He would wait this out and see what happens. Hopefully though his life could go back to normal and he could be the loner again like he always was, even if it wasn't the happiest life.


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: Hey guys! Tried to get this chapter up sooner but the site wasn't allowing me to upload for some reason, but I finally got it to work. Not many responses on the last chapter but I still appreciate them. Keep them coming!**

 **With that, here we go :)**

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Chapter 8

It had been a couple of weeks since Poppy and Branch had talked. They'd seen each other on campus and said their pleasantries when they passed each other either in classrooms or on the sidewalk but no real conversations had ensued since their last one. She would steal glances at him in class though, and she could swear she could see him glance up at her out of his peripheral occasionally. Poppy was starting to get used to her classes and schedule, but also was getting used to hanging out with her new friends pretty much every day. Satin's bad mood had finally dissipated after a few days and she was back to her normal self, she was still a realist though and told it like it was. Poppy was still trying to piece together what happened between Satin and Branch. She could take a guess and probably be right, but she didn't want to assume anything, and she didn't know either of them well enough yet to ask. Maybe one day she could ask Branch, she wasn't sure if Satin would ever talk about it especially with her. Poppy swore she could feel something like resentment aimed at her from Satin. She wasn't sure why, she was sure she hadn't done anything to her and no one else in their group seemed to have a problem with her. Maybe she was just being silly and was completely wrong, she had misjudged people before. Her thoughts consumed her as she and all her friends – Chenille, Satin, GD, Biggie, and Suki – were in the cafeteria having lunch. All of her friends were talking around her, but she wasn't actually listening to any of it. She poked at the food on her plate with her fork, uninterested in the food in front of her. They had been sitting there for well over half an hour, but to Poppy it had only seemed like a minute. Then someone was trying to get her attention by waving a hand in front of her face. It quickly brought her out of her stupor.

"Earth to Poppy, hello?" Guy said, waving his hand at her.

Poppy looked at him confused, "What? Did you say something?"

Everyone else at the table giggled at her, and she realized they must have been trying to get her attention for a while.

"Yeah, we were asking if you wanted to go out and do something this weekend." Suki said to her.

"Oh um, yeah, just text me and I'll let you know if I'm free. I've been getting a lot of homework this week and I have to keep up." Poppy replied.

Suki nodded, seeming to understand Poppy's predicament. "Okay, well if nothing else maybe we can at least get dinner one night." She gave Poppy a smile.

Poppy returned her smile, "Yeah that sounds good."

Her friends continued eating their lunch and chatting with each other as Poppy got lost in her thoughts again. Poppy began looking around out of boredom, there were lots of students in the cafeteria today. But as she looked around her eyes landed on one student in particular. Even though his back was to her she knew exactly who it was. She'd seen him from this angle many times in class and the image was pretty much burned into her brain at this point. No matter what she did, she couldn't get him out of her mind. She knew it was silly to think about Branch at all, but she just couldn't help it. But she knew nothing would happen between them, they were just too different, and Branch seemed to want to be alone and she was more of a social butterfly. Poppy turned back to her table before any one could see her staring. She stared down at her plate again. Then she heard two chairs being pulled across the tile floor. She looked back up to see Satin and Chenille standing up with their trays in their hands and their bags slung over their shoulders.

"Its been fun guys but we gotta get to class." Satin said.

"We'll see you guys later." Chenille said as the two girls waved their goodbyes and gave the group one last smile before the twins placed the trays on the conveyer belt that led to the wash room and headed out of the cafeteria. The group gave them waves in return as the two left.

Poppy watched them leave and her eyes landed on Branch again. Now that the girls were gone, she could stare a little and no one would care. She adored the twins, they were good friends to her but if Branch was brought up tensions rose, and Satin would immediately be in a bad mood. Poppy just preferred to avoid the subject when the girls were around. Now Guy on the other hand liked to push Poppy about Branch, he didn't even try to be subtle and Suki agreed with him. Biggie stayed neutral and didn't pick a side, he didn't want any of them to be upset with each other. Poppy loved having them all as friends, despite some of the issue that arose. They usually all had a great time together.

"Checking out your future boyfriend?" Guy said to Poppy, pulling her from her thoughts.

When she turned to look at him he was smirking her. "Um…no."

All of three of them started giggling at her.

"Girl, we totally caught you staring. Don't deny it." Suki said to her when she finally caught her breath.

Poppy sighed in defeat, she knew she'd been caught. No use in making up excuses, they all knew she kinda liked Branch. She saw Guy nod his head towards Suki, they hadn't actually said a word to each other, but it was like they'd had a mental conversation. The two then stood up, grabbing their bags and trays, and Suki looked at Poppy, "Come on."

Raising an eyebrow Poppy looked at the couple in confusion, "Where are we going?"

"To sit with Branch." Guy said to her as if it was the obvious answer, "He looks lonely, don't cha think?"

Poppy stilled in her seat, "No guys, that's so not a good idea."

"Why not?" Guy asked her.

"You guys know him, if we go over there he might..uh.." Poppy started but wasn't sure where she was going with this.

Guy looked at her, "He'll do what? Get mad? That's the worst he can do Pinky, is get mad and leave. You have got to talk to him if you can't quit thinking about him."

It made sense what he said, but she still wasn't sure. Her and Branch seemed to be on good terms and she didn't want to screw that up. But this wouldn't get any where either way if she didn't try to talk to him. She grabbed her bag and stood up to join her friends. Biggie remained seated, "Sorry guys but I'm staying out of this one. I have to get to class soon anyway. But I want to hear the details on this." He gave them a big smile.

The three said goodbye to their friend and starting walking towards Branch's table. Poppy felt her stomach start doing flip flops as her heartbeat raced and her breathing quickened. She wasn't sure she could do this, but she was sure if she tried to run Guy and Suki would just catch her and drag her back. The fifty feet to his table was just not long enough, she felt like she needed more time to prepare for this. She saw Branch look up as Guy and Suki sat on the other side of table, leaving her with the seat beside Branch.

"Hey man." Guy said to Branch.

"What are you guys doing?" Branch asked.

"Having lunch, you looked lonely so we decided to join you." Guy replied, "Come on Poppy, come sit down." Guy waved to her trying to get her sit down, but she was frozen in place. That's when Branch turned to look at her, he didn't really look upset, maybe annoyed.

She took a deep breath and walked the rest of the way to the table. Her hand was shaking as she pulled out the chair next to Branch and sat down. She unconsciously sat as far from him as she could get, not because she didn't like him but because she so nervous. Poppy could not believe she was actually sitting here next to him.

"Hi Branch." Poppy said timidly, she was trying to hide her nervous shaking but knew she was failing miserably.

"Hey." He mumbled in response.

"Oh come on Branch, be nice." Guy said.

Branch huffed in annoyance, "I didn't say or do anything rude. Seriously why are you guys sitting here?"

Suki piped up at this point, "Change of scenery, and of course we wanted to see that dazzling smile of yours." She smirked at him.

Poppy held back a giggle as she looked at Suki who winked at her. She dared to steal a glance at Branch's face. He was wearing his usual scowl, but luckily it was aimed at Suki and not her. But Suki didn't care, she continued to smile at him. He then turned to Poppy, unfortunately with the scowl still on his face. Poppy sat stock still as his sky-blue eyes bore into her for a few seconds before speaking, "Did you say anything to them?"

Did he really think she'd go blabbing her mouth about their conversation, she may have told Guy he apologized but that was it.

"No." She replied as he stared at her. He finally turned back to look at Guy.

"You think this is funny?"

Guy just smiled at him, "From my side of the table, yeah it is."

Branch did not look amused, "Whatever." He went back to eating his lunch and reading his book, ignoring them.

Guy and Suki started having their own conversation. Those two seemed to be comfortable in any situation, it was like they did this every day. Poppy looked at them, then stole a quick glance at Branch. He had a book next to his tray that he was reading and didn't even notice Poppy and seemed to ignore the other two as well. Not wanting to get caught she averted her eyes and stared at the table. For about five minutes she listened to the couple across the table chit-chat as she sat in silence next to the grump. But then heard their chairs scoot back from the table.

"Well, Pinky, Branch, we have to go. We'll see you two later." Guy and Suki got up to leave.

Poppy looked up at the two and gave them a pleading look. 'Talk to him.' Suki mouthed at her and pointed to Branch. Poppy shook her head, she couldn't believe they were just leaving her here alone with him. Suki shook her head.

Branch just lifted his hand and gave them a small wave as his goodbye. The two walked away leaving Poppy by herself with her crush, she wasn't sure if she should get up and leave or see if she could actually talk to him. After a few minutes of complete silence, Branch turned to look at her, "Are you not going with them?"

She contemplated on how to answer this one but shook her head instead.

"Why not?" He asked.

Poppy stared down at her hands in her lap and sighed, "Because I have nowhere else to be."

"So, you all thought it would be fun to join me for lunch today?" She swore she could hear a bit of amusement in his voice, so she looked up at him. He wasn't smiling but the scowl was gone now.

"I swear it was Guy's idea, I told him we shouldn't have." Poppy explained trying to defend herself.

Branch put his hand up to her, "I figured as much. He's always been like that. And am I really that bad? What did you think I would do if you three came over here?"

Poppy shrugged looking down at the floor, "You just always seem to want to be alone, I thought disturbing you would make you mad. And you don't seem to be much of a talker either."

She looked back up to see Branch watching her, his face had softened. He didn't seem annoyed by her presence, but she didn't want to get her hopes up.

"Just because I'm alone most of the time and don't talk much doesn't mean I'm going to bite your head off any time you come near me. Have I done something to make you think otherwise?" Branch's voice was soft this time.

"Well no, it's just… uh…" Poppy thought about how she should say her next words without upsetting Branch. She wasn't ready for this conversation to be over.

"What is it?" He snapped at her.

Poppy flinched, his harshness was back so she might as well just say it, "All I ever hear from Satin and Chenille are how bad a guy you are. They won't give me any details, but Satin always gets into a bad mood when you're mentioned. If they even knew I was talking to you they'd be so upset. Guy says you're not a bad guy, just private. I don't really know you well enough to make any judgements, but I don't want you to be my enemy, so I figured not upsetting you is the best way to go. Oh yeah, and what did happen with you and Satin?"

Branch had been quiet and listening through her little speech but leaned back a little when she asked her last question. He scoffed and looked to his right at nothing in particular, "Satin is a drama queen and enjoys talking shit about me. But I'm not going into it. It's in the past and I don't want to think about it." He looked back at her, anger filled his eyes once again.

Poppy really did want to know the truth, but wasn't going to push it this time. One day she would have an answer. Before she could reply Branch spoke up again, "Look, I'm not mad at you. I just don't to talk about old news." He paused and started again, "So, since apparently you're not going to let me be alone for lunch we might as well talk. How are your classes going? Are you getting used to it yet?"

Wait, was he actually interested in how she was doing? "My classes are fine, but some of them are hard. I'm not very good at the science stuff, but the art and music classes are fun. I'm getting used to it, way different than high school that's for sure."

"You get used to it." Was all he had to say to say in reply.

Poppy had to keep this conversation going, "Yeah, I'm not used to being by myself so much."

She saw Branch tense up a little at her words and he turned away from her to look back at his book. As soon as she'd said it she'd regretted it, she knew Branch was a loner and probably was on his own. Guy never said if he had family or not, but with the way he acted it didn't seem he had any close family.

His words were short and clipped, "You get used to that too."

She needed to change the subject back to school, "So, how are your classes going?"

"Fine." He mumbled in response not looking at her. Obviously, she had upset him, this is what she was afraid of doing.

"I'm sorry Branch, I didn't mean anything by what I said. I should have thought before I spoke." She really was sorry.

Branch sighed, "It's fine Poppy. Don't worry about it." His face lightened a bit and he gave her sideways glance.

Poppy in return let out a sigh of relief but was having trouble finding something to say next since she didn't really know him that well. She began fidgeting with her hands in her nervousness. After a minute of silence between though she heard Branch's voice.

"Why are you out here on you own, where is your family?" He asked her.

This caught Poppy's attention at it was her turn to tense at his words, "Um, I just needed a change. And this school has a good music program. I still talk to my Dad almost every day, but he's all the family I have. He lives about six hours away, so I won't be able to see him much while I'm in school." Her eyes lifted to see Branch looking at her. No longer was there anger in them, but more like pity or sympathy for her situation.

He nodded in understanding, "So why music?"

This lightened Poppy's mood bringing her back to the present and a big smile formed on her face, "I love to sing. It's the one thing I'm good at, and well dancing too. I'm not sure yet what I want to do though, but I've got four years to figure it out."

Branch's face held expressions of shock and confusion, "You can sing?"

"Yeah, I love singing." She beamed proudly at him. "I can start singing right now if you want." Poppy was joking of course, she didn't want to sing in a crowded cafeteria, but she wanted to mess with Branch a little. She acted like she was about to stand up when Branch reacted.

"No, no don't Poppy! I believe you." He looked almost terrified.

Poppy sat back down in her chair and smirked at the boy. It took about a minute for realization and slight scowl to form on his face, "Are you messing with me?"

She still wore a big smile on her face, "Did you really think I would just start singing here? Come on now Branch, I'm not that crazy."

"Could have fooled me." He smirked back at her.

"Hey!" She feigned being insulted and lightly punched Branch on the arm, "I'm not crazy, clumsy maybe but not crazy."

"Okay, fine. You're definitely clumsy. But I'm still not sold about the not being crazy part."

"Well even if I am crazy, at least I'm happy being crazy." Poppy whipped back quickly.

Then she saw something she didn't think she'd ever see, Branch was smiling at her. He had a gorgeous smile.

"Oh so Mr. Grumpy can have something on his face besides a scowl."

His smile dropped from his face, "Mr. Grumpy?" He said questioningly as he raised an eyebrow.

"Yep!" Poppy said cheerfully.

Branch shrugged "Could be worse."

That is not the reaction she expected out the black-haired boy, she figured he would get mad or yell or something like that. In fact, she was surprised he was still sitting here with her. Maybe there's a chance for her yet.

"Why are you so grumpy all the time?" Poppy asked him.

Branch faced away from her, "Because I can be."

"Seems lonely to me."

"I don't mind, I don't like most people anyway." He shot back.

Poppy flinched at his response and looked away, hurt, "Well then I guess I'll leave you be." She started grabbing her stuff to go when she felt a warm hand on her arm. Her eyes met Branch's, they were soft this time.

"I said most people, Poppy, I did not say you." He said softly.

Poppy's eyes widened in shock, she couldn't believe what she was hearing. She put her bag down and sat back down in her seat. "So, I don't bother you?" She asked.

"Right now, no. You can be annoying I'm sure, but for now I can deal with you." He smirked at her.

"Oh." Was all Poppy could think to say.

"But I do really have to get to class now." He said he put his book back in his bag and got up to leave.

Poppy watched him, almost pleading to go with him but was not going to ask. She figured she had bugged him enough for the day.

"You don't want to walk with me, do you?"

She was surprised by his question but quickly a big smile spread across her face as she nodded and started following him towards the door. Poppy saw Branch roll his eyes and shake his head before he turned his back to her as they headed out of the cafeteria. She followed him all the way to his class, talking about whatever. As long he didn't tell her to shut up she'd keep talking. He didn't offer much more than one-word replies but she didn't care. She was just happy to be walking with him. Branch didn't seem irritated that she was following him. Poppy thought for sure by now he'd chase her away by being mean or just plain ignoring her. But instead he seemed to listen to her words and she could swear he smiled every now and then. The walk was way too short, but she was glad she'd gotten to spend a few extra minutes with him.

"Alright Poppy, I have to get to class now." Branch nearly shouted to get her attention, "I'll see you later."

"Okay, okay." Poppy said trying to calm herself down, "See you later!" She gave a small wave as she turned the other way and left Branch standing at the entrance of the building. She had so much energy now she couldn't stand it. She began humming a song to herself as she walked across campus.

She really wasn't paying attention to where she was going when two figures stepped out in front of her. It was Guy and Suki.

"So, how'd your talk with Branch go?" Guy asked her with a smile.

Poppy had the biggest smile on her face, "He didn't yell at me or tell me to go away, so I'm taking that as a win! Plus, he let me walk with him."

"See, now aren't you glad I made you stay." Suki said to her, returning her smile.

"Now when is your first date? Because we'll have to make it a double date." Guy said to her.

"Whoa whoa guys, I didn't say anything about a date. I think we're just barely friends." Poppy replied.

"If Branch let you get this far, you've got a good chance Pinky." Guy said, looking genuine about his words.

Poppy looked at the two like they were just a bit crazy, "We'll see guys, but let's not get excited just yet. If anything is going to happen, not saying it will, but if anything is going to happen I don't want to push Branch. I'd rather take it slow and not chase him off."

Guy put his hands up in defeat, "Alright, we'll do this your way. But I'm telling you it's gonna happen."

Poppy just smiled and shook her head, remembering why the two had left her with Branch in the first place, "Wait, I thought you guys had to get to class."

Suki shrugged, "We may have bended the truth a little, we do have to be in class but not for another hour."

"So, you guys left me there? What if something bad had happened?" Poppy nearly screeched.

"But nothing did Pinky." Guy looked at her as if it was obvious.

Poppy sighed, "Alright well I do have to be in class soon, so I'll see you guys later." Suki and Guy both gave her a quick hug goodbye and she walked off towards her class.

She was in a great mood the rest of the day. Her classes went well, and Poppy was still wearing a smile when entered her dorm room after her classes were finished. She quickly set to work on her homework while she was still in good mood. It always seemed to help her do homework if she wasn't in a bad mood while doing it.

After her homework was done she called her father to tell him about her day. He was glad to hear that she'd had a great day and that things with the boy were going well. For once their conversation was not cut short and she was actually able to talk to her father for about an hour before both had to go for the night.

"I love you dad." Poppy said.

"I love you too Poppy." Said Peppy.

She put down her phone, in an even better mood after talking to her father. He always made her feel better. Poppy then got ready for bed and fell asleep with thoughts of a certain boy on her mind.


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: Hey guys! New chapter for you guys, I got this one out a bit quicker than the last so yay! As always I love the reviews, keep em coming :)**

 **Warning: Some cussing in this chapter**

 **That being said, let's get started!...**

* * *

Chapter 9

Branch sat in his architecture class taking notes as his professor went on about some building design. It was almost lunch time and he was getting hungry. He couldn't wait to get out of there and find something to eat. Luckily for him class was about over, only about five more minutes then he could leave. He enjoyed his architecture classes but some days they were boring, today was one of those days. His attention had started thinning after ten minutes on the subject, but he had to take these notes or he'd be screwed for the test. The last few minutes felt like hours but finally it was over, or so he thought. His professor called him over before he could leave with the rest of the students.

"Branch, if you have a minute I'd like to talk to you about those designs you turned in." His professor said.

"Yeah sure, was there a problem with them?" Branch asked.

"Actually, they are some of the best designs I have ever received from a student. They were pretty much flawless and could be built as is."

"Really?" Branch was surprised, he'd worked hard on those but didn't think he'd get any praise for them.

"Every year we always have a few students turn in designs like yours. There's a few architecture firms in the city that seek out these students for internships during and after college. Your designs seem to be based more on solar energy and leaned towards eco-friendly. A lot of people want that now too when they buy homes or have them built. There is one company in the city that works with contractors who build these sorts of homes. They have seen your designs and would like to talk to you sometime this semester about a possible internship next summer."

Branch was shocked, he couldn't believe it. "A-are you serious?"

His teacher chuckled, "Yes, I'm serious. I'll let you know when they contact me about a meeting."

"Wow, thank you sir." Branch's smile couldn't get any bigger.

"You're welcome Branch, now go on." His professor said dismissing him.

Branch began walking out of the classroom, still not believing what he had just heard. They were actually looking at him to design real buildings. It had always been his dream, but to hear it might actually become a reality was just unreal to him. As he walked he imagined what his designs could create, he might be able to help low income families afford housing if solar energy would become more popular. It was expensive as an upfront cost but could save so much money in the long run.

Before he knew it, he was at the cafeteria. He walked in and grabbed a tray and began gathering his meal. After getting his food, he began walking to an empty table. He looked up to see GD sitting at a table about fifty feet or so across the room, he was also sitting with Suki, Satin and Chenille, Biggie, and Poppy. Her back was to him, but he knew that pink hair anywhere. He thought about maybe joining them, but with the twins there he wouldn't be welcome. Plus, he and Poppy hadn't really talked since that day in Starbucks. The girl surprisingly didn't annoy him, even with all her talking. As much as he tried not to he couldn't stop thinking about her. He knew he was no good for her but that didn't keep her from his thoughts. He sighed as he sat down at his table with his back to them. Maybe if he didn't look at them he could put her out of his mind for a little while. After sitting down, he pulled out his book to read while he ate his lunch. Luckily the book kept his attention until the chairs across from him were pulled out and two people sat down. He looked up to see GD across from him and Suki next to him.

"Hey man." GD to said to him.

"What are you guys doing?" He asked GD, wondering why they were sitting with him when they had a whole table of friends to sit with.

"Having lunch, you looked so lonely we decided to join you." GD replied, "Come on Poppy, come sit down." Guy waved to someone behind Branch.

Branch turned to see Poppy standing there behind him, she was as beautiful as ever but seemed very nervous. His heart began to race, but he wouldn't let it show. After a moment's hesitation the pink haired girl came to sit by him. As soon as she sat down he could smell her body spray, it was a sweet but floral mix. He couldn't quite put his finger on the scent but had to make himself sit still so as not to lean any closer to her to get more of the delectable fragrance. Branch did his best to control his breathing, he didn't need her knowing he was nervous that she was sitting here.

"Hi Branch." Poppy said to him.

Not wanting to give her any hope he mumbled "Hey." In response.

"Oh, come on Branch, be nice." GD said, giving him a pointed look.

Branch couldn't believe what he was hearing, had GD actually told him to be nice? GD knew that he was no good for Poppy and the best thing for her was to push her away no matter how bad he didn't want to. So instead he huffed, "I didn't say or do anything rude. Seriously why are you guys sitting here?"

That's when Suki chimed in, "Change of scenery, and of course we wanted to see that dazzling smile of yours." She smirked at him.

Branch had never minded Suki, she was a lot like GD. More laid back then serious any day, but some days she did get under his skin. Today was one of those days. He scowled at her, but she continued smirking. Then another thought crossed his mind, _Did Poppy say something to these two about what they talked about that day?_ That was when he turned to Poppy.

"Did you say anything to them?" It sounded a little harsh, but he had to know if she was a gossiper or not.

"No." She replied. It seemed sincere, maybe she wasn't like some of friends who blabbed everything.

He turned back to face GD. "You think this is funny?"

Guy just smiled at him, "From my side of the table, yeah it is."

Branch wasn't amused, "Whatever." He replied as he turned back to his book and continued eating his lunch. Why were they trying to bother him? GD knew he was trying to get Poppy to avoid him, a nice young girl like her didn't need a guy like him.

As he read his book, trying to ignore his company, he heard GD and Suki start talking. Out of the corner of his eye he could see Poppy just sitting there staring at the ground. He felt bad, and wanted to talk to her, but she seemed way too innocent for him. Not that that was a bad thing of course. It was just a few minutes before the chairs across from him were scooted across the tile floor of the cafeteria. He heard GD's voice, "Well, Pinky, Branch, we have to go. We'll see you two later."

Pinky? That's what he called Poppy? Nah, he'd rather just stick to her real name. Branch just lifted his hand as a goodbye, trying to be as nonchalant as possible. He noticed Poppy wasn't going with them. After a few minutes of complete silence, Branch turned to look at her, "Are you not going with them?"

It took a minute, but she finally shook her head.

This confused him, why wouldn't she leave with them? "Why not?"

She didn't look up at him as he continued to look at her questioningly, but after a moment's hesitation she answered, "Because I have nowhere else to be."

This floored Branch, how could she have nowhere else to be? She was just sitting with all her friends, surely she had them to go chase after. Well now he couldn't just ignore her, might as well talk to her. After all now she had no friends around to hear their conversation, and so far she hadn't told them what they talked about, well probably not in detail anyway.

"So, you all thought it would be fun to join me for lunch today?" He asked her, trying to hide the amusement in his voice.

Then Poppy finally looked up at him, but she almost seemed confused. Perhaps she was surprised he was talking to her.

"I swear it was Guy's idea, I told him we shouldn't have." Poppy said, trying to explain what happened.

He knew it was his friend's idea, no one else was brave enough to mess with him.

Branch put his hand up to her, "I figured as much. He's always been like that. And am I really that bad? What did you think I would do if you three came over here?"

He saw Poppy shrug and look down at the floor again "You just always seem to want to be alone, I thought disturbing you would make you mad. And you don't seem to be much of a talker either."

Branch just looked at the girl, is this what she really thought of him? He knew he wasn't the friendliest guy, but he didn't want her to think she could never talk to him. Sure, he wanted to keep her at arm's length, but that was getting more difficult as time went on. After a moment, she looked back up at him.

"Just because I'm alone most of the time and don't talk much doesn't mean I'm going to bite your head off any time you come near me. Have I done something to make you think otherwise?" Branch tried to talk a bit softer this time so as not to scare her any more than she seemed to be of him.

"Well no, it's just… uh…" Poppy stammered. Branch could only tolerate this for a few seconds before he got slightly irritated.

"What is it?" He snapped at her.

Branch saw her outwardly flinch, he hadn't meant it as harshly as he'd said it. Hopefully she wouldn't run from him.

"All I ever hear from Satin and Chenille is how bad a guy you are. They won't give me any details, but Satin always gets into a bad mood when you're mentioned. If they even knew I was talking to you they'd be so upset. Guy says you're not a bad guy, just private. I don't really know you well enough to make any judgements, but I don't want you to be my enemy, so I figured not upsetting you is the best way to go. Oh yeah, and what did happen with you and Satin?"

Branch had been quiet and listening through her little speech but leaned back a little when she asked her last question. The beginning spiel hadn't surprised him but was shocked when she asked about Satin. But it seemed no one had told Poppy what happened, it was good to know GD could keep his mouth shut for once. It did surprise him though that neither Satin or Chenille had told her what happened, though they would blow it way out of proportion. He scoffed and looked to his right at nothing in particular, "Satin is a drama queen and enjoys talking shit about me. But I'm not going into it. It's in the past and I don't want to think about it." He looked back at her, trying but probably failing miserably to hide his anger.

Before letting Poppy reply, Branch spoke up again, "Look, I'm not mad at you. I just don't want to talk about old news." He paused and started again, "So, since apparently you're not going to let me be alone for lunch we might as well talk. How are your classes going? Are you getting used to it yet?"

He was genuinely interested, this was her freshman year and he wanted to make sure things were going well for her.

She gave him a confused look before answering, "My classes are fine, but some of them are hard. I'm not very good at the science stuff, but the art and music classes are fun. I'm getting used to it, way different than high school that's for sure."

"You get used to it." He replied.

"Yeah, it's kinda weird being on my own. I'm not used to it."

Branch tensed at her words, he had been alone most of his life. He forgot she was just out of high school, this was his third year in college and life hadn't really been easy on him. To Branch it was normal to do things completely for himself, no matter how hard it was. He was glad her life seemed to have been easy before this, but it also hurt to hear since his own life had only just recently started looking up.

His reply was short and clipped, "You get used to that too."

After a few moment's hesitation he heard Poppy's voice again, "So, how are your classes going?"

Really? That is the worst segway to change subjects he had ever heard, but he could tell she was trying. At this point he would just walk away from most people, but something about her made him stay.

"Fine." He mumbled in response not looking at her. Branch didn't really have much else to say, she wouldn't understand the nature of his classes even if he tried explaining it.

"I'm sorry Branch, I didn't mean anything by what I said. I should have thought before I spoke." She sounded like she was genuinely sorry.

Branch sighed, "It's fine Poppy. Don't worry about it." His face lightened a bit and he gave her sideways glance.

Her words had gotten under his skin a little, but he didn't want to ruin this conversation. They had finally gotten into a real conversation, and other than a few certain comments, he was mostly enjoying it. She seemed like a really nice girl and he could tell she was really trying with this conversation too. It only took a few moment's silence though before she started fidgeting. She must be nervous. _Say something to her Branch, she needs to be more comfortable around you._

"Why are you out here on you own, where is your family?" He asked her.

This time, he saw the young girl tense at what he'd said, "Um, I just needed a change. And this school has a good music program. I still talk to my Dad almost every day, but he's all the family I have. He lives about six hours away, so I won't be able to see him much while I'm in school."

Her eyes looked up to meet his, which were filled with sympathy. So, she really didn't have much family, maybe she wasn't as privileged as he thought.

He nodded in understanding, "So why music?"

A big smile covered the girl's face and Branch's heart skipped a beat, she had a beautiful smile, "I love to sing. It's the one thing I'm good at, and well dancing too. I'm not sure yet what I want to do though, but I've got four years to figure it out."

Branch was shocked and confused: not only was this girl beautiful, sweet, and kinda funny but she could also sing, "You can sing?"

"Yeah, I love singing." She beamed proudly at him. "I can start singing right now if you want." She looked like she was about to stand up and really start doing this. He stopped her as quickly as he could, he did not want any attention on them.

"No, no don't Poppy! I believe you." He was sure the look on face mirrored how he felt.

Poppy sat back down in her chair and smirked at the boy. It took about a minute for realization and slight scowl to form on his face, "Are you messing with me?"

Most people wouldn't dare to mess with him, but this young petite girl actually had the gall to do it. He had to admit, she intrigued him. It was getting harder to make himself keep her at arm's length.

She still wore a big smile on her face, "Did you really think I would just start singing here? Come on now Branch, I'm not that crazy."

"Could have fooled me." He smirked back at her.

"Hey!" She feigned being insulted and lightly punched Branch on the arm, "I'm not crazy, clumsy maybe but not crazy." _Did she really just punch me? And why didn't her touch make me flinch? Huh, weird._

"Okay, fine. You're definitely clumsy. But I'm still not sold about the not being crazy part."

"Well even if I am crazy, at least I'm happy being crazy." Poppy whipped back quickly.

She paused for a moment before continuing, "Oh so Mr. Grumpy can have something on his face besides a scowl."

His smile dropped from his face, which at the time he hadn't realized he was even doing it, "Mr. Grumpy?" He said questioningly as he raised an eyebrow.

"Yep!" Poppy said cheerfully, she was way too optimistic.

Branch shrugged "Could be worse."

He knew he could have reacted worse than that, and by the look on her face she had expected him to. But he didn't want to cause a scene, this banter was actually fun for him. Only GD dared to do this to him besides Poppy.

"Why are you so grumpy all the time?" Poppy asked him.

Branch faced away from her, "Because I can be."

She really didn't need his sad back story, and he didn't feel like telling it either. Hopefully she would drop it, but that seemed unlikely.

"Seems lonely to me."

"I don't mind, I don't like most people anyway." He shot back.

He saw Poppy flinch at his response and she looked away, hurt, "Well then I guess I'll leave you be." She started grabbing her stuff to go. _Oh no, I have to stop her,_ Branch thought to himself when he reacted instinctively and quickly grabbed her arm hoping she wouldn't shrug his hand off. He hadn't meant what he'd said to her, and he sure didn't want her to take it that way. Her eyes met his, and he allowed any anger to leave his face, hopefully showing her some sort of kindness.

"I said most people, Poppy, I did not say you." He said softly.

He saw her eyes widen slightly, as if she was surprised to hear his response. She put her bag down and sat back down in her seat. "So, I don't bother you?" She asked.

"Right now, no. You can be annoying I'm sure, but for now I can deal with you." He smirked at her.

"Oh." Was all Poppy said in response.

She was one of the only girls he'd ever met who hadn't annoyed the hell out of him. A girl like Poppy should be the exact type who would annoy him, but for some reason she just didn't. A quick glance at the clock though and he knew he had to get to class now.

"But I do really have to get to class now." He said as he put his book back in his bag and got up to leave.

Branch didn't want to leave the girl just yet, and out of the corner of his eye he could see her looking at him. It was similar to a puppy not wanting to be left alone. Internally he sighed and was hoping he would not regret the next words out of his mouth.

"You don't want to walk with me, do you?"

Quickly a big smile spread across her face as she nodded and started following him towards the door. Branch rolled his eyes and shook his head before he turned his back to her as they headed out of the cafeteria. _What did I just get myself into?_

She followed him all the way to his class, talking about whatever. He didn't offer much more than one-word replies, but this seemed to satisfy her as she just kept talking. Even though she barely stopped to take a breath, Branch still wasn't irritated. He thought for sure by now her voice would have gotten annoying, but instead he found her enthusiasm fascinating. Branch enjoyed listening to her, and despite his attempts to hide it his smile came out occasionally during their very one-sided conversation. He couldn't remember smiling this much, not since he was a kid and even then that wasn't much. But before he knew it they had reached the building where his class was held. She hadn't seemed to realize that however, as she just kept talking. He had to get her attention.

"Alright Poppy, I have to get to class now." Branch nearly shouted, "I'll see you later."

"Okay, okay." Poppy said, "See you later!" She gave a small wave as she turned the other way and left Branch standing at the entrance of the building.

Branch watched her walk away, happy as ever. He shook his head and smiled while turning around and heading into the building. He tried to pay attention in his class, but after his time with Poppy today he just couldn't concentrate. His class was over before he knew it, and after looking down at his notebook he realized he'd barely taken any notes. He seriously hoped they didn't cover anything important today.

As he left the building, something caught his attention out of the corner of his eye. He quickly looked to see GD standing there with a smirk on his face.

"Hey Branch." GD said.

Branch walked over to him, "Hey, don't you have class?"

GD shrugged, "Yeah, in about ten minutes. You know me, I'm lucky if I'm on time to anything."

Branch nodded knowing how his friend was with punctuality. "So, what are you doing here then?"

"Oh, just wanted to say good job with Poppy." GD replied, giving his friend a huge grin. "Apparently you didn't scare her off, because I saw her just a bit ago with a big smile on her face."

"None of your business GD, but no I didn't scare her off. I'm still saying she doesn't need a guy like me." Branch wasn't sure if he was starting to believe the lies he kept trying to tell himself and his friend and from the look on GD's face, he didn't think he believed him either.

GD raised an eyebrow, "Really Branch? You've rarely ever given any girl the time of day, but you let this girl sit with you at lunch and then let her walk to class with you and you didn't bite her head off."

Branch sighed, he didn't want to talk about this right now, "Look man I've got to get to work."

"Fine Branch, but you can't avoid the inevitable. I'm coming over tonight and we're talking about this."

"Whatever, I'll see you later." Branch said as he began walking away so he could leave campus and get to work.

Work went by quickly as Branch's thoughts remained on Poppy. He couldn't believe she could sing, he would have to hear that voice one day. After work Branch went to tutor the kids like he almost always did, Smidge wasn't there today so he just helped the other kids out as he could. They were more afraid of him than Smidge was, which he understood. He knew he looked a lot meaner than he was, but he just couldn't be mean to kids.

Branch was finally home for the night and was making dinner when his phone lit up with a text.

"You home?" It was GD.

"Yeah" Branch replied

"Cool, be over in five."

Oh great, Branch thought he was joking earlier. Now he was definitely going to be hearing from GD about Poppy. He had to admit though, the girl had him intrigued. Keeping her at arm's length was probably no longer an option. But if she knew any of his baggage, she might just move on without him telling her to do so.

GD walked in then and sat down on the couch, making himself at home. "Smells good Branch, whatcha cooking?"

Branch just rolled his eyes, "Grilled chicken and veggies, I'm guessing you want some?"

GD smiled, "I always want your cooking Branch, you make the best food."

"I know you didn't just come over here to eat my food GD, I'm guessing you're still on this Poppy thing." Branch questioned his friend.

"Ah, smarter than the average college student." GD smiled at him.

Branch gave him a look, a silent warning that said he'd better keep talking or he could find another place for dinner.

"Yeah, of course it's about Poppy. I'm telling you man, go after her. She obviously has a huge crush on you, that's the happiest I've seen her since she started college here."

Branch scoffed, "That girl is always happy. GD, a girl like her shouldn't be after a guy like me. She's sweet, and I'm…well…I'm me. She doesn't need that."

GD stood up from the couch and walked over to the opposite side of the kitchen counter from Branch. "Don't lie to me dude, I can see you like her as much as she likes you. Get over yourself and don't let a good thing slip from your hands. I know you guys are just friends, for now, but at least try."

The black-haired boy looked at his friend before sighing, he knew GD was right. And right now, he was feeling defeated. "I know GD, but she doesn't need to get hurt by me. What if this doesn't go anywhere anyway? What if you're reading too far into it?"

"I know what I'm talking about here. You know I wouldn't push this hard if I didn't think it was worth it. At least don't push her away. If you end not liking her, at least be nice about it. She seems like a girl who's probably never been through heartache, and as heartless as you are sometimes, you should still be easy on her."

Branch mulled this over while he continued cooking. He guessed there was really no harm in getting to know the girl. It may turn out that they didn't even like each other and then there would be nothing to worry about. She also did seem like a girl who'd never been through a break-up, but that was not something he wanted to assume or think about.

"Alright, enough of the heavy. How long till food?" Branch looked over at his friend who was looking into the pan at the chicken he was cooking.

He shook his head and replied, "Just a few more minutes GD, then I promise you can eat all you want."

The rest of the evening went smoothly, GD didn't bring up Poppy again and it was like old times. Before girlfriends, college, and jobs. GD left after a few hours, which left Branch in his own thoughts. As he passed by his spare bedroom he realized he hadn't thought of his grandmother much since he'd met Poppy. _What is this girl doing to me?_ Branch internally asked himself as he rubbed his face with his hand.

He headed to bed not long after, and it didn't take him long to fall asleep with thoughts of the pink haired girl on his mind.


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: Hey guys! Trying to update faster this time, and this is by far my longest chapter. I really like this chapter and I hope you all do too. As always love all my reviews!**

 **Warning: There is drinking in this chapter, please if you are under age you've been warned. Also some very slight adult content and cussing.**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

Chapter 10

"Ugh!" Poppy yelled as she threw her pen down on her notebook.

"Why is this so hard?!" She put her face in her hands, feeling utterly defeated. She had been trying to write this song for weeks now but no matter how hard she tried she couldn't come up with any lyrics. It was mid-semester and her project was no closer to being done than it was when classes started. The pink haired girl sighed loudly, she didn't think it would be this hard to write her own song, but the difficulty level was proving to be high. She really didn't want to have to ask Suki or Guy for help with this because she knew how busy they were with their own lives, but at this point she had almost no choice.

Taking a break from her frustration Poppy checked her phone and saw she had a message from Chenille.

"Hey girl, we're all meeting at the library later, join us?"

Poppy quickly replied, "Sure what time?"

As she patiently waiting for a response, she turned on her tv while trying to put the music project out of her head for now. She didn't have to wait too long for a reply as she heard her phone chime.

"About half an hour."

This would definitely help Poppy get her mind off the project for now, "K I'll be there."

She set her phone down and returned her focus to the sitcom, but she was feeling kind of disappointed. The girl was hoping that text would have been from Branch. They had texted occasionally, amazingly he had texted her first after Guy gave, or more accurately put her number in Branch's phone himself, him her number. But the conversations usually were short and to the point, mostly seeing how the other's day was going. The two had even hung out a few times, but it was never for long and was always at the library, Starbucks, or the cafeteria. Poppy wasn't 100% sure how he felt about her, but whenever he was around it felt like there were butterflies in her stomach and she couldn't get her heart to slow its beating pace. Branch on the other hand was much better at hiding his emotions, if he did like her he didn't really show it. Guy said that this was a huge leap for Branch, but this all seemed normal (if not kind of slow) for her. Much like how she would normally treat her friends, but she didn't just want him as a friend. For now though she would accept it, taking it slow seemed to be just how it worked with Branch. He still occasionally snapped at her for saying or doing something stupid, but it was still an improvement since they had first met. She knew she could be irritating too, her optimism and happiness did not always sit well with him, but she always tried to hone it in a little when she could tell he'd had enough. At this point though, she may have to come out and just ask him how he feels. She figured he wouldn't put up with her if he didn't like her, but a small part of her still doubted that.

Sighing after her very long mental rant to herself, she checked her phone and decided she might as well head to library. Poppy gathered her laptop, books, and homework and headed out the door, locking it behind her as she always did.

Once she reached the library Poppy headed to their usual spot and found Guy, Suki, and Biggie already sitting there.

"Hey guys!" Poppy said, greeting her friends and sat down at the table.

They each greeted her in return as they looked up from their homework or whatever it was they were working on.

"Um, where's Satin and Chenille?" Poppy asked, aiming the question towards Suki.

Suki looked up from her laptop, "They'll be here soon, I think they said something about making a coffee run."

Poppy just nodded in understanding as she pulled out her laptop and hooked up to the campus' wifi. The four students sat for a few minutes in silence before Guy's voice broke through.

"So Pinky, how's Branch? You guys official yet or what?" Guy smirked at her.

Poppy blushed, "Come on Guy, I know you guys must talk. And at this rate, I'd just be happy to get asked on a date."

Guy laughed, "Sounds like Branch. He really doesn't tell me much, it's hard getting any info out of him."

"What else can I do Guy? We've hung out, texted a bit. He's just so…." Poppy struggled for the correct word to describe her crush.

"Frustrating? Grumpy? Handsome?" Guy replied.

"Yes, to all three of those. Ugh, of course I pick the one guy on campus to crush on that shows the least amount of emotion possible." Poppy put her face in her hands getting frustrated again.

She felt a hand on her shoulder and looked up to see Guy leaning towards her, "I told you he was difficult, but I really think he does like you. Just keep at him, maybe one day you'll chip away that grumpy exterior. I've known him for years and this is the longest I've ever seen him deal with a chick. Give him time, he's never had a real relationship before."

Poppy looked around the table to see Biggie and Suki nodded in agreement with Guy. "Okay, I'll try to be as patient as possible about this. But actually, I do need your help with something else."

Guy just looked at her questioningly.

"The music project, I've been trying to write my own song, but I can't come up with anything. Do you think you would be able to help me?" Poppy looked to both Guy and Suki pleadingly.

"Sure Poppy, we'd love to help you." Suki replied first.

"Yeah, all you had to do was ask. We're finishing up our mid-semester testing this week, so how about we start on Monday?" Guy said.

Poppy beamed at her friends, feeling so lucky for having them, "Thanks guys! You have no idea how much this means to me."

Before anyone could reply another voice chimed in, "Coffee, anyone?"

The group turned to see Satin and Chenille walking towards their table with a carrier of six coffees. All of them practically screamed "Yes!" as the twins began passing the coffees around to their friends. Each student took a sip and sighed in contentment as the caffeine entered their system. The twins sat down with the rest of their group, but unlike the others they had no books or bags with them. Poppy noticed this but decided not to say anything about it, maybe they didn't have as many midterms as the rest of them had.

"So, anyone up for a party this weekend?" Chenille asked looking around the room with a smile on her face.

"Of course!" Guy and Suki were the first to respond, full of excitement.

Biggie nodded in agreement, "I would love to go! I haven't been to a party since the summer."

Everyone then turned to look at Poppy, "Well, I've never been to a college party before. But all of you will be there with me, right?"

Suki put a hand on her shoulder, "Yeah, we'll take care of you. Make sure you don't get too crazy."

Poppy gave her a grateful smile and then turned back to the conversation.

"Where's this one gonna be?" Guy asked looking at the twins.

"It's going to be at the Sigma sorority house, pretty much the whole campus is invited since it's mid-semester. They're throwing it Friday night, probably won't start till 9 anyway. There will be alcohol of course." Satin replied.

Poppy gulped, she'd really never been to a party. Birthday parties of course, but if they ever contained alcohol she never drank any. Was she going to be expected to here? She'd seen a few parties in high school get out of hand due to alcohol, and she usually tried to help the kids that got drunk get home safely or at least make sure they had a safe place to stay. A few times she'd just had to leave when it got too crazy, but that was only once or twice. Shaking her head from her mental rant she began listening to the conversation again.

"Do we need to bring anything?" Biggie asked.

The twins looked at each other, thinking. "Oh!" Chenille exclaimed, "You should totally make cupcakes!"

Biggie clasped his hands together in delight, "I would love too! How many do you think?"

"Probably a hundred or so. There will be other food there too so feel pressured to make that many." Chenille replied, shrugging one shoulder.

"I can do that. Could I get some help getting them there?" He looked around the table.

"I'll help you Biggie." Poppy spoke up.

"And me and Suki can too." Guy said, giving Biggie a warm smile.

Everyone then looked at the twins, who looked guilty. "We're sorry guys," Chenille started. "But we promised our friends at the sorority house that we'd help decorate and get the house ready for the party." Satin finished.

"Oh, girls it's totally okay. Just let us know where to put the cupcakes when we get there." Biggie grinned at them, showing no signs of being upset or disappointed at all.

"And Poppy?" Chenille looked at her pink haired friend. Poppy looked at her waiting for her to finish what she had to say, "Since this is your first official college party Satin and I have made you a dress, don't worry it's nothing super fancy but it is super cute, and we found some heels to go with it."

Poppy clapped her hands together in front of her, "Oh my gosh you guys! You did that for me? That's so sweet, thank you!"

"You're welcome." The twins said in unison.

"We'll come by your dorm room on Friday before the party to drop off the outfit." Chenille said.

Poppy smiled, she couldn't believe her friends had done that for her, "Thanks guys, that would be great."

The group continued chatting and studying for midterms as the evening passed. At one point they all finally realized they needed to head back to their homes since most of them had tests the next day. As Poppy headed back to her dorm she pondered if she should invite Branch to the party, Chenille had said that pretty much the whole campus was invited. She knew how they felt about the Branch, but if this was going to go anywhere with him they would just have to get over it. Honestly though, she wasn't sure if he would even come. With the way he acted he rarely went to social functions. Besides his job and school, Poppy didn't think he really left his apartment. This debate continued in her mind as she finally reached her dorm and got ready for bed. She checked her phone before she crawled into bed, seeing that she had a text from her dad asking how day had been and that he loved her. She quickly sent a text back and headed to bed after plugging her phone into its charger.

The next morning Poppy woke early, dressing in a yellowt -shirt, blue skinny jeans and her converse and put her pink hair in her usual ponytail before heading to Starbucks. She figured she might run into Branch there and invite him to the party. Sure enough when she walked in the door, Branch was just a few people in front of her. He was wearing his signature leather jacket, jeans, and black boots and had his black hair sort of styled up, like he had just ran a hand through it when he got out of bed. Instead of letting him know she was there, Poppy decided to stay quiet and just watch him instead. She rarely got to stare at him without him noticing. Luckily, he hadn't looked back at her the whole time he was in line and sat down at a small table in the corner of the room away from everyone after he'd collected his coffee. Poppy soon got her coffee too and walked over to the table where Branch had his nose stuck in a book. Just when she was about to tap him on the shoulder she heard his voice.

"Poppy, I know you're there." He turned to look at her with his sky-blue eyes.

She took the seat across the table from him and looked dumbfounded, "How did you know?!"

He gave her a look that said 'Really?'

Poppy sighed, "Oh yeah, I forgot you have super good hearing."

Branch shrugged and took a sip of his coffee, "And I might have seen you come through the door."

Internally Poppy squealed but on the outside she remained as calm as she could manage, "Either way, I wanted to invite you to a party Friday night."

"Poppy, I don't go to parties." Branch said flatly, as if she should already know this.

"Aww come on Branch, it'll be fun. It's my first college party." She pleaded.

Branch sighed loudly, "I'm not a partier Poppy, my idea of fun is not going to a party and watching pretty much everyone there get drunk and do God-knows-what. It's not safe, and if you're going to go you need to be careful."

"You don't have any ideas of fun." Poppy murmured under her breath. She realized too late that Branch had heard her comment as he narrowed his eyes at her and had a scowl on his face.

"I heard that." He said through clenched teeth, but a moment later his face lightened a bit even though the scowl was still there. "And I have to work Saturday."

This was pretty much how Poppy had seen this conversation going, but she had really hoped Branch would go with her. Yes, she'd have her friends there but having Branch there would have meant a lot to her. She knew he didn't see it that way and there was no way to convince him otherwise. And with him having to work it probably wasn't the best idea for him to be out half the night. Realizing there was no way to win this conversation Poppy sighed audibly and grabbed her coffee, "Alright Branch, you win." She took a sip, grabbed her bag, and got up to leave, she really didn't have to be in class just yet but she didn't see this conversation going anywhere positive for the time being.

She felt a hand grab her arm before she could even walk a foot away from the table. Looking down she saw Branch looking at her. "Where are going Poppy?"

"To class." She replied blandly.

"Oh, so this conversation wasn't going your way so you're leaving?" Branch looked confused and irritated.

Poppy put her hands on her hips after setting her coffee back down on the table. She knew this was irrational, but she couldn't help the words falling out, "No Branch, that's not it. I've basically been chasing after you for the last month and you've given me no indication of where this is going. And this party means a lot to me and I can't even get you to make an appearance. I know Guy told me to be patient with you, but something's gotta give Branch. When you figure it out you let me know."

With that she stomped out without looking back. Walking quickly she headed to her next class, she still had about 30 minutes but she could sit in silence that long. She was doing her best to hold back her tears. This was ridiculous and she knew it, but she just needed Branch to either show his interest or tell her to back off. After a few minutes she calmed down and pulled out her notebook to study for the midterm she was about to take.

* * *

Poppy was so thankful it was Friday afternoon and all her midterms were over. The last few days had been stressful with all the tests and of course Branch. She hadn't heard from him since she'd snapped at him a few days ago. She'd felt a little bad about it, but since she hadn't heard from him maybe this silence was his answer. Perhaps she'd been foolish to think he'd liked her in the same way she liked him. For now though she would try to think more positive thoughts, like the party tonight. Poppy didn't really know what to expect, she knew there would probably be alcohol and music. The girls assured her that even though a lot of people would be there nothing bad would happen. Poppy figured she would just stay close to her friends and that would keep her safe.

A knock at her door released her from her stupor and she got up to answer it. She opened the door to find Satin and Chenille standing there with a dress bag and a shoe box. "Hey guys!" She exclaimed excitedly as she backed up allowing them into the room.

"Hey girl." Chenille said setting the shoe box on the bed. Satin hung the dress up in the closet. Poppy immediately went to look at the dress. She pulled up the dress bag and what she saw rendered her speechless. The dress was sleeveless, light blue at the top and slowly transitioned into a light teal green at the bottom. It had white and silver trim at the bottom. Up top it was form fitting but was movable and flowy on the bottom half. Poppy loved it! It was simple but absolutely beautiful.

"Oh my gosh guys, I love it! I have to pay you back for this." Poppy gushed.

Chenille put her hand up, "Nope, we wanted to make this for you and your first party. Oh, and these should match that dress." She turned around and grabbed the shoe box off the bed to hand it to Poppy.

Poppy took the box and opened it, inside there were silver heels. They were maybe 2" so she hopefully wouldn't be tripping on herself all night. There was a strap that connected the toe strap and ankle strap that had shining silver gems. Poppy looked at her two friends, "Thank you guys so much! I love them."

"Oh, and one more thing." Satin said as she went over to the dress bag and reached towards the hanger. She pulled out a headband and handed it to Poppy. It was green and had blue flowers on it. "That should go great with your dress." Satin finished.

Poppy was really shocked, the twins had gone through so much trouble and she had nothing for them in return. She absolutely loved the dress, shoes, and the headband.

"Thank you guys so much! But I wish I had something for you." The pink haired girl looked at her friends guiltily.

"Just have fun at the party tonight, and don't forget the cupcakes." Chenille said to her smiling brightly.

Poppy nodded and smiled, "Deal."

"Well I'm glad you like the outfit, but we've gotta go help get the house ready for tonight." Satin said, pulling on her sister's arm towards the door.

"Of course, see you guys later!" Poppy said excitedly as the twins exited her dorm room.

She waited a minute to be sure they were gone before letting out a loud squeal and running over to look at her dress again. Poppy was so happy and excited she couldn't believe it. She still had a few hours before she needed to start getting ready, but she couldn't stop looking at the dress, and shoes, and headband. The twins had really put some work into this just so Poppy could look good for her first actual party. It did sadden her a little though so think that Branch wouldn't get to see her in this dress. But for now she would push those thoughts aside, she wasn't going to let him ruin her night.

A few hours later Poppy had finally gotten to put her dress on, it fit perfectly. She wasn't sure exactly when Satin and Chenille had got her measurements, but she'd worry about that later. The dress was similar to a halter top, but it had a collar on the neck so that the back could connect to the front. It reached almost to her knees, the twins must have known she would not have appreciated a super short dress. The headband matched almost perfectly, she had set it behind her bangs so they could still be side-swept and she'd put her hair up in a ponytail. If she did drink tonight she didn't want to think about the mess her hair would be in the morning. Poppy had also put on her heels, which gave her just a bit of height but not so much that she would be taller than most of the guys there. The silver in the heels helped to bring out the silver trim on her dress. She'd also found some diamond studs in her jewelry box that matched her outfit as well. Her makeup was simple for the most part: dark green eye shadow with glitter in it, black eye liner, black mascara, and just a hint of light pink blush on her cheeks. Again, she didn't want to wake up looking like a mess from wearing too much makeup. With that Poppy headed out the door to help Biggie, Suki, and Guy with the cupcakes.

Luckily it wasn't a long walk to the culinary arts building, and in the parking lot out front she could see her three friends standing around the back of an SUV with it's back hatch open.

"Hey guys!" She called out.

Her friends turned to her and stared. She walked up to them cautiously, "What's up?"

"You look gorgeous Poppy." Suki said, "Satin and Chenille did an awesome job on that dress."

"Yeah Pinky, you look awesome." Guy chimed in.

"Yes, you look lovely Poppy." Biggie said last.

Poppy blushed, embarrassed by her friends' comments, "Thanks guys, but it's just a dress and some make-up."

Guy went up to Poppy and put his arm around her shoulder and leaned in so only she could hear, "Poppy, even Branch's jaw would drop seeing you right now."

Poppy blushed even more and looked at Suki, who just had a smirk on her face as if she knew exactly what Guy had said to her.

"Thanks Guy." She barely managed to say as she wriggled herself free from him. "So, are we loading cupcakes or what?"

"Oh yes," Biggie seemed to remember, "Come on guys, we've got several trays to gather."

For the next fifteen minutes or so the group continuously carried trays of cupcakes out of the building and into the back of Biggie's SUV.

When they were finally finished Guy asked, "Man, how many of these did you make?"

Biggie shrugged, "Around 200 or so, I lost count after a while. I just love baking!"

All of them laughed at this and then got into the vehicle to head to the party.

Poppy looked back at Guy and Suki in the back seat, "Are you guys not taking one of your cars?"

Guy and Suki both shook their heads, but Guy was the one to speak up, "Nah, we'll both probably be drinking so it won't be safe to drive. We'll find a way back or just crash there for the night."

Poppy nodded in understanding and turned back around to face forward. The ride was pleasant as the four chatted about their midterms and whatnot. It only took about ten minutes to get to the sorority house, the main reason being that students were everywhere in the streets making it difficult to drive and find a suitable place to park. Biggie finally found a spot close to the house so it wouldn't be too hard to carry in all the cupcakes.

The house was massive, it had to be three stories and large white pillars were on either side of the entrance to hold up the building overhang that formed over the porch. The sigma sign was on the front of the overhang clear for everyone to see. Upon entering Poppy had not expected to see so many people, it was still early, maybe 7:30 or so and the house was nearly packed already. Suki had been there before with the twins, so she led the way to kitchen where there was a table for them to set down the desserts.

"Hey guys!" Satin and Chenille came up behind the group and greeted them all with hugs.

"Those cupcakes look delicious." Chenille said to Biggie.

"Thanks! There are all different flavors to choose from and of course they are free for everybody." Biggie smiled back.

The twins then looked to Poppy. "Omg girl," Chenille started, "You look amazing!" Satin finished the sentence.

Poppy smiled, "Thanks, I love this dress."

"We hoped you would." Chenille replied and then turned to the whole group, "As you can see the party hasn't officially started yet, but we'll be helping the sorority sisters out for most of the night so if you need anything just text us. Drinks are right over there, sodas are in the fridge and help yourself to any of the food. Have fun!"

The twins then walked away leaving the group to stare after them.

"Well I'm getting a drink," Guy said and then turned to Suki, "You want anything babe?"

"A rum and coke sounds good, but go easy on the rum." Suki replied, smiling at her man.

"How about you Pinky?" He asked Poppy.

Poppy really didn't know much about alcohol, and of course being underage she hadn't really drank much. "I guess just whatever Suki is having."

"Don't worry, I won't make it strong. We don't need you getting too crazy tonight." Guy winked at her before walking away and fixing the drinks.

The night went by rather quickly for Poppy, she'd had at least three rum and cokes by now and was starting to feel them. Her head spun a little, but that didn't stop her from dancing and having a great time. After watching Guy make her drink the first time, she'd taken it upon herself to start making them herself, but she was now thinking she'd mixed them a little too strong. She had tried to eat some of the snacks throughout the evening, so it would help soak up some of the alcohol, but it did little to help her. She was just coming out of the bathroom when she noticed Guy down the hallway with his phone pressed to his ear. _'Who would he be calling this time of night?'_ Poppy wondered to herself as she walked towards him.

Loudly and obnoxiously Poppy yelled, "Who are you talking to?" Her voice was a little slurred due to the alcohol, but not too bad that she couldn't be understand.

Guy turned to look at her and smiled, "Branch."

Poppy smiled, "Hi Branch!" She screamed towards his phone.

"Yeah that's her." She heard Guy say, "Thanks man, will do." He ended the call and put the phone back in his pocket.

"Uh Pinky, I think you've had enough. Let's go sit down and chill for a minute." Guy said to her trying to get her to come sit down with him.

Poppy resisted, "But I'm having so much fun! Why are trying to stop me?" The logical part of her brain knew she should go with Guy, but the other part told her to keep on partying.

Guy put his hand gently, but firmly on her arm, "Seriously Poppy, I don't want anything to happen to you. Please, let's go sit down."

"Ugh!" Poppy yelled, "Fine, but only for a few minutes."

She followed Guy into the kitchen where there was a table with a few empty chairs, Suki was sitting in one of the occupied chairs eating chips. The two joined her and she pushed the bowl towards Poppy. "You need to get something in your stomach, especially if you're going to keep drinking." Suki said to the pink haired girl.

Poppy happily reached over and grabbed a handful of chips, she really was hungry. She saw Guy lean over to whisper something to Suki, but she couldn't quite hear it. It wasn't but just a few minutes before Poppy got up to rejoin the party again, she wanted to dance some more.

"Poppy, I thought we were gonna chill." She heard Guy say behind her.

This annoyed her, she wanted to come to this party to have a good time, not have rules. "Come on Guy, I wanna go dance!"

She could see Guy sigh in defeat, "Fine, but please come back in a few minutes. It's really late and me and Suki are not leaving you here alone."

Poppy didn't bother with a reply but headed back to the dance floor. She began dancing with some guy she didn't know and was having a blast. Her head was still spinning, but she didn't care. It wasn't long before the guy she'd been dancing with had tried to cop a feel by reaching behind her. She pushed his hand away, this wasn't why she came here. She just wanted to have fun. The guy just smiled at her and tried it again. Again, she shoved his hand away, "Stop." He tried it one more time and Poppy turned on her heel to leave the dance floor, no way was she going to put up with this. She'd only taken a few steps when she felt a hand on her arm.

"Where do you think you're going?" The guy said to her.

"I'm leaving." She turned to face him and tried to pull her arm away, but he didn't let go. "Let go of me!"

"Oh, come on now baby, I thought we were having fun." He said to her with a creepy smile on his face.

Poppy began to feel fear, she really wanted away from this guy and to get back to her friends. She tried pulling her arm away with a little more force, but he still didn't let go and she shut her eyes, afraid of what might happen now. But suddenly, she was free. She opened her eyes to see Branch standing in front of her with his back to her.

"She said let go." Branch's stern voice sounded in her ears.

She looked around him to see the Guy sitting on the floor, and he looked mad. He stood back up and said, "Mind your own business asshole."

Branch suddenly grabbed the guy by his shirt and brought him within inches of his face and said in a low, deep voice, "She is my business. Now stay away from her." He shoved the guy away from him and turned to face Poppy.

"Let's go." He said sternly to her and pushed her ahead of him towards the kitchen. She didn't bother to fight, after the drama with the guy she was ready to go. Suki and Guy were waiting for her in the kitchen.

"Are you alright Poppy?" Suki asked her.

Poppy was fighting back tears and her face was red with embarrassment and alcohol, "Yeah," she nodded, "Let's just go."

The group walked outside to get into Branch's car. Branch drove while Guy sat in the passenger seat, so the two girls could sit in the back together. Almost immediately Poppy fell asleep.

She woke slowly, and she felt warmth on one side of her body. That's when realized she was being carried. She didn't want to open her eyes, her head was killing her, and she felt slightly nauseated. Every so slowly she opened her eyes to see that Branch was carrying her. He wasn't looking at her though, so she quickly shut her eyes again and just reveled in the fact that she was closer to him. A minute later he was opening a door and sat her down on an unfamiliar couch. Instead of sitting with her he continued walking into what she assumed was his apartment. She sat up and rubbed her hand with her face, her head was still spinning but she could see somewhat clearly as she opened her eyes. The room was dark, but a light came on from another room illuminating some of the furniture of the room she was in. It was the living room of course, she could see a recliner next to the couch, a tv in the corner, a coffee table in front of her, and a guitar case leaning against the wall opposite her. She didn't have time to think about this before Branch returned. After flipping on the hall light so they could see, he sat down next to her on the couch and was kind of scanning her.

"Are you okay?" He asked, actually sounding concerned.

Poppy nodded, "My head is killing me, and the room is spinning, but I'm okay."

"What were you thinking? You've never been to a party and you decide to get drunk at the first one you go to? Do you know how dangerous that is?"

Poppy so did not want to hear this, but it was nice that he was concerned about her, "I didn't mean to. I made my own drinks too strong and didn't know it until it was too late."

Branch sighed, "Poppy, you've got to be more careful. What if something would've happened to you?"

"What do you mean?" She asked, wondering why he cared so much all of a sudden.

"If I hadn't come in when I did, that jackass could've hurt you. He was much bigger than you."

Poppy scoffed, "I was handling it just fine." She of course knew this was a lie, she was truly scared why might've happen if Branch hadn't shown up when he did.

"Yeah, sure looked like it." He said sarcastically.

Poppy didn't feel like fighting right now, the scene with the guy had actually left her emotional and really all she wanted was to be held. But she knew Branch wasn't going to let that happen, so she decided to take a different approach.

"Why were you there anyway?" She asked.

"GD called me asking me for a ride, he and Suki had been drinking. Then you needed a ride too so here we are." Branch replied.

"So, why'd you bring me here? Why not take me back to my own room?"

"Because number 1 you were asleep, number 2 I don't know where you live, and number 3 because you're a lightweight and someone needs to keep an eye on you in case you do get sick. GD and Suki were barely awake when I left them at their apartment, so we all thought this was the best option." Branch said.

Poppy didn't really know what to think, she hadn't heard from him in two days and now he was defending her and willing to keep an eye on her to make sure nothing bad happened to her. Maybe he really did care, but had a poor way of showing it. All of her emotions came pouring out at once as the tears started flowing down her face. She was an ugly crier and she knew it, but right now she didn't care. It was too much for her to keep it in, she really could've gotten hurt tonight and she'd been stupid by drinking too much.

"Poppy? Poppy are you okay?" She felt Branch move closer to her on the couch until he had one arm wrapped around her shoulder. She shook her head and just kept on crying. His arm was stiff and tense at first, but gradually he relaxed. It only took a few minutes for her to finally calm down and stop crying.

Branch pulled away from her and tried to look her in the eyes, but she just couldn't meet his gaze. She felt his hand under her chin as he made her eyes meet his, "You can tell me what's wrong." His ice-blue eyes were void of any anger, just full of concern and warmth.

Poppy shook her head, she couldn't tell Branch. Some things were meant to stay unsaid. "I can't Branch, I'm sorry. I can't talk about it."

She heard him sigh, "It's okay Poppy, you can tell me when you're ready."

In that moment, more emotions hit her. Branch was being really thoughtful towards her, and in her state of still kind of drunkenness she wanted to take her chance. Their faces were only about a foot apart and she started leaning towards him to kiss him. But as she closed her eyes she felt hands on both her shoulders.

"Whoa, Poppy what are you doing?" Branch sounded alarmed.

"Well, uh, I wanted to kiss you." She said plainly, in her state she wasn't afraid to say these things in front of him.

His face showed his shock, "Poppy, even if this were to happen," he gestured between the two of them, "you're drunk. No way would I allow this to happen now. You're emotional and vulnerable, and I'm not taking advantage of that."

Poppy pulled away from him and sighed. She knew he was right, but it still hurt. And she still had no idea what he thought of them. Were they friends or more? Did he want to take things further? Was he just being nice to her because of Guy? There was too many questions and it made her head hurt.

Quietly she mumbled, "Do you even like me Branch? Or do you just tolerate me?" She stared at the floor, afraid of the look she might see on his face.

It took a minute for a response, "Poppy, look, I do like you. But I don't think I'm right for you."

She was shocked, "What do you mean?"

"I'm not a nice guy. I've got a dark past, which means baggage. Nobody wants to deal with that. You seem like a nice girl with a bright future, why would you want to be with a guy like me?" He asked her.

"I like you Branch, I don't care about the baggage. Everyone has it, even me. Stop selling yourself short, even Guy says you're not that bad." Poppy had finally turned back to face him.

Branch shook his head, "We can discuss this later. For now, you're going to bed. And I have to be at work tomorrow and it's late. Come on." He gestured for her to follow him as the two walked down a short hallway. They walked into a room that Poppy could only assume was his bedroom. "You can sleep in here, I'll sleep on the couch."

Poppy simply nodded, her tiredness was catching up with her. She pulled her phone out of her pocket so she wouldn't lose it in her sleep and climbed into his bed. "Good night Branch." She yawned.

"Goodnight Poppy."


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: Hey guys! I've actually been meaning to put this chapter up for a few days, but life has been busy. As you all could probably guess this is Branch's pov chapter, I like it almost as much as the last chapter. Love all my reviews, and I hope you guys enjoy this new chapter!**

 **Warning: Cussing, drinking, and limited adult content.**

* * *

Chapter 11

It was a usual morning for Branch as he waited in line at Starbucks to get his coffee. With midterms this week there was no way he could take shortcuts on his caffeine. Luckily, he only had one test today and it was later in the afternoon so he had all day, but of course he was already prepared since he studied pretty much every day. With him, you could never be too prepared. He couldn't afford to let his grades slip now, not after all his hard work.

As he stood in line lost in his thoughts he heard the door open behind him, and he turned his head just enough to see out of his peripheral vision. He didn't expect to see her this time of morning, and he quickly had to shut down the small smile that tried to form on his lips. Branch turned his back to her, knowing full well she would notice him standing there. Normally he wouldn't sit in here to drink his coffee, but today he would. Maybe she'd join him. He knew his feelings for her were starting to trek past the friendship line, but he still wasn't sure what to do about it. That girl had a bright future and he didn't want to screw it up, but she was always the one chasing after him. He tried not to feel anything for her at first, shoving away any thoughts of it even. But there was just something about Poppy that he couldn't fight. Maybe he should just ask her out, surely she would say yes. It was mid-semester this week, perhaps she could use a night out this weekend. If she ended up not really liking him, then he could accept that and move on. But could he really? She was the first girl, ever, to make him feel anything. Normally he was always grumpy, but with her he couldn't help but feel happier and had been fighting back smiles constantly when she was around.

It was finally his turn at the counter and he ordered his coffee. He only had to wait a minute before it was ready and chose a table in the corner of the room so he could talk to Poppy more privately, if she came over. Branch pulled his book out of his bag as he waited for the girl walk over. Sure enough, it was only a few minutes before he heard footsteps leading up to his table. She was about a foot away when he finally said, "Poppy, I know you're there." He turned to meet her chocolate brown eyes as she stared at him in disbelief.

She took the seat across the table from him and looked dumbfounded, "How did you know?!"

He arched an eyebrow as if to say 'Really?'

Poppy sighed, "Oh yeah, I forgot you have super good hearing."

Branch shrugged and took a sip of his coffee, "And I might have seen you come through the door."

Poppy looked as if she had conflicting emotions, but finally said, "Either way, I wanted to invite you to a party Friday night."

"Poppy, I don't go to parties." Branch said flatly, she should already know this.

"Aww come on Branch, it'll be fun. It's my first college party." She pleaded.

Branch sighed loudly, "I'm not a partier Poppy, my idea of fun is not going to a party and watching pretty much everyone there get drunk and do God-knows-what. It's not safe, and if you're going to go you need to be careful."

What was she thinking? Didn't she know how dangerous parties could be. He wasn't going to tell her not to go, but he sure as hell wasn't going to join in. She would probably be with her friends anyway and he knew GD wouldn't let anything happen to her.

"You don't have any ideas of fun." Poppy murmured under her breath.

Alright, that irritated him. Just because he didn't want to go out he wasn't fun. Well he knew he wasn't much fun, he had been trying to get her to see that.

"I heard that." He said through clenched teeth, but a moment later his face lightened a bit even though the scowl was still there. "And I have to work Saturday."

He watched as her face fell. The look of defeat on her features actually tugged at him. He hadn't really meant to hurt her feelings, but she should have known he'd say no. Maybe if he hadn't had to work he might have made an appearance just to make her happy. But, he was sure this party would also involve Satin and Chenille, and he did not need that drama. On the other hand, GD and Suki would probably be there too and they could help keep the tension from rising.

"Alright Branch, you win." Her voice pierced his thoughts.

 _What is she saying? What have I won here?_

Poppy took a sip from her coffee, grabbed her bag, and stood up. _Where is she going?_

Before she could even walk a foot away from the table Branch reached out and grabbed her arm. He couldn't let her just leave like this. She looked down at the hand on her arm. "Where are going Poppy?"

"To class." She replied blandly.

"Oh, so this conversation wasn't going your way so you're leaving?" Branch asked confused and irritated. This was really why she was leaving? Because he wouldn't agree with her?

Poppy put her hands on her hips after setting her coffee back down on the table. "No Branch, that's not it. I've basically been chasing after you for the last month and you've given me no indication of where this is going. And this party means a lot to me and I can't even get you to make an appearance. I know Guy told me to be patient with you, but something's gotta give Branch. When you figure it out you let me know."

With that she whirled around and left without looking back at him.

 _What the hell was that?_ Branch thought to himself as he sat there staring after her. He'd never seen Poppy so upset. How long has she been holding that in? Well I guess that settles the question if she likes him or not. Obviously she likes him just as much as he likes her. But, why couldn't she have just told him this? Sure, it would have been an uncomfortable conversation, but it would be a whole lot better than her storming out on him in Starbucks. Branch did have to put some of the blame on himself too, this wasn't all Poppy's fault. He should have put forth some more effort to show her how he felt, but he was battling these new emotions. They were foreign to him and he didn't know what to do with them. Watching her leave though made him realize he'd just made a huge mistake. He wanted to follow her, but she needed her space right now. And he really needed to think about this. He would give her her space for now, but they were going to talk about this.

Branch sat for a few minutes in his own thoughts before finally sighing, throwing his book in his bag, grabbing his coffee and walking out the door. He headed to the library to continue his studying for his midterms. The "Poppy situation" would have to wait for now.

* * *

It was now Thursday afternoon, and Branch sat in the library studying as always. He just had one more midterm tomorrow and then he could use the weekend to relax, well except for working Saturday, but that was only until noon. Thoughts of Poppy tried to invade during his studying which he kept having to push back down. He knew he needed to fix the situation, but for now they both needed to get through midterms. Hopefully she had not decided to walk away from him completely, she was one of the only rays of sunshine in his dark world and he wasn't ready to let her go so easily. Just then Branch heard someone sit down in the chair beside him. He looked up to GD. His usually easy-go-lucky friend did not look so happy today.

"Hey." Branch said.

"Hey." GD replied flatly.

 _What is up with him today?_ Branch thought to himself.

"What's up?" Branch asked.

GD arched an eyebrow, still frowning, "What happened with you and Poppy?"

Branch tensed a bit, "Did she say something? What did she tell you?"

"Not much, but she didn't look very happy yesterday afternoon and seemed a little withdrawn today at lunch. She talked a little with the girls, but I didn't catch too much." GD said.

Branch let out the breath he'd been holding, "So she didn't say she was done with me?"

GD shook his head, "Not from what I could hear. But what is the deal man? You've got a perfectly nice, pretty, young woman chasing you and you're trying to screw It up?"

"No, I just..I don't know. I've never met anyone like her before and it's confusing and frustrating me. She seems so innocent I just don't want to screw that up." Branch ranted.

"So, you do like her?" GD said with a small smile forming on his face.

Branch through his hands up in the hair, "Yes, okay! Fine, I admitted it. Happy now?!" He was exasperated, but somehow he felt relieved finally admitting the truth to his friend.

"There it is! Finally Branch, it only took a couple of months but I finally got it out of you." GD was really smiling now, and it looked like his friend was back to his old self. "Now, how are you going to fix this?"

Branch shook his head, "I don't know yet. Maybe I'll come to the party or something, though I would rather do just about anything else. I'll text her tomorrow after midterms are over after she's had time to think. Hopefully she'll forgive me, I've been such a jackass."

GD nodded, "No argument there. Just make it right man, I hate seeing her sad and the girls aren't happy about it either."

"I know I screwed up, but I'm not ready to let her go yet." Branch had to make this right. Plus, GD might not forgive him if he didn't.

"That's all I needed to hear, I had to know if you were serious about her or not. But I gotta go man, Suki is waiting for me." GD said to his friend.

"Alright, thanks GD. I'll see you later." Branch said.

GD stood up, "No problem, see ya later." He began walking away and Branch began studying again with a new-found hope.

"But Branch," Branch lifted his head as he heard GD talking to him, "If you ever make Poppy cry again, I'll kick your ass." With that GD walked away.

 _I made her cry? Man, I really am an ass._ Branch hadn't known that Poppy had cried after she stormed out, he knew she was mad but nothing like that. Now he just felt worse about the whole thing. The last thing he ever wanted was for Poppy to cry because of him. He wasn't sure how he was going to fix this now, it was going to take something major to get her to come around. Branch sat there for a while trying to come up with ideas, a few came to him and he closed his textbook. This was more important right now.

* * *

Finally, it was Friday afternoon and Branch was done with his midterms. Breathing a sigh of relief, he walked to his car to head home. Normally he would be going to work or tutoring kids after school, but today he was free. He didn't get a ton of free time, so he was taking it while he could. His drive home didn't take long, and he was back to his apartment within fifteen minutes. He unlocked his door and walked in. His bag hit the floor as he fell back in his recliner, feeling relieved that half of his junior fall semester was completed. He reached for the remote and turned on the tv so he could just turn his mind off for a little while. Then his thoughts ventured to Poppy. He planned on texting or calling her later if she hadn't contacted him first. Branch thought it best to give her space, but it had been two days since their "fight" and he hadn't even seen her. Usually she went out of her way to find him, but it had been quiet and kinda lonely the past couple of days. As much as he didn't want to admit, he missed her happy, optimistic personality and the way she was always able to find positivity in everything. By the end of the weekend, he would get her back at least talking to him again or she would no longer have anything to do with him. That last thought didn't sit well with Branch, but unlike Poppy he wasn't as optimistic.

Branch woke with a start. The room was dark except for the light from the tv. Branch hadn't meant to fall asleep and slowly leaned up in his chair. He rubbed his eyes with his hands and put his elbows on his knees as he leaned forward. Quickly he jumped up and ran to his bag to grab his phone. He'd totally forgotten to text Poppy. Checking the time on his phone it was just past 8, so thankfully it wasn't too late to contact her. He tried calling her first but no answer. She'd probably be at the party by now and wouldn't hear her phone ring. Branch decided on a text next, hoping she would eventually check her phone.

'Poppy, please call me back. -Branch' He sent her, now just to wait for a response.

It was 10 when Branch gave up waiting on a text, he poured himself a quick drink and headed to bed. He was disappointed she hadn't gotten back to him. And it made him worry a little with her at the party. He knew GD would be keeping an eye on her for him, but he still wondered if she was having fun and if she was safe. With those thoughts swirling in his mind he crawled into his bed and fell back to sleep.

Waking him from deep sleep, Branch heard his phone ringing. Slowly he opened his eyes and picked up his phone. It was just after one in the morning and it was GD.

"Hello?" He groggily answered the phone.

"Hey man, sorry if I woke you but I need a favor." GD replied.

"It's okay dude, what is it?"

"Well me and Suki have been drinking, and I was hoping you could give us a ride home? It's too far to walk and no one here is sober."

"Yeah no problem. Just stay where you are, and I'll pick you up."

Then from a distance on the GD's side Brand heard, "Who are you talking to?" The voice sounded like Poppy's, but it was slurred. She must be drinking too.

He heard GD reply, "Branch."

"Hi Branch!" He heard Poppy scream.

"Is that Poppy?" Branch asked GD for confirmation.

GD replied, "Yeah that's her."

"Alright, give me 15 or so and I'll be there. And stay with Poppy." Branch said.

"Thanks man, will do." GD said and hung up the phone.

Branch quickly jumped up, threw on a t-shirt, jeans, and his boots and ran out of the door to his car. In his hurry he'd forgotten his jacket despite how cold it was. Getting to that party as fast as he could was more important right now. For some reason hearing Poppy drunk had made him want to go save her. Yes, she was probably okay but rationality didn't matter to him right now. He got to the party in ten minutes, running through a few stop signs and a stop light. Miraculously he hadn't met one cop on the way. Branch parked on the other side of the road from the house and practically sprinted inside. The house was still pretty packed and lots of people were even outside. He made his way to the kitchen first and found GD and Suki sitting there talking.

"Hey man." GD said turning to him.

Branch didn't have time for pleasantries, "Where is Poppy?! I told you to stay with her."

GD put his hands up, "Branch chill, she's dancing just down the hall. I tried to make her stay here but she fought me. She's fine."

Branch stormed off down the hallway but was suddenly cut off when a body stopped in front of him. He was shocked by the person who stood in front of him, it was Satin. What did she want from him now?

"Hello Branch." Satin said sweetly with a coy smile on her face.

Branch wasn't really sure what she was doing, and he needed to get to Poppy. "Hey." He said as he tried stepping around her, but she stepped in front of him again.

"What's your rush?" She asked him, obviously she was drunk.

"I've got to go Satin, I don't have time for this." Branch didn't want to hurt her but if she didn't get out of his way soon he would.

Satin reached out to touch his arm, but he shifted just before her fingers to graze him. She pouted, "Aw come on Branch. Don't you remember how much fun we had last time?"

Oh great, she was not trying this again. She really was drunk if she thought this might happen again. "Satin, you've hated me for a year now for that and almost ruined my life. So, get out of my way."

He was finally able to step around her and began walking to the room where the dance floor was. Before he took five steps he heard behind him, "Oh, so that pink-haired brat is better than me?"

This stopped him in his tracks, his anger grew quickly and he whirled around to face Satin. She was standing there giving him an evil smile. If she was a guy, he probably would have punched her. "Just because she friends with you doesn't mean I have to be nice to you. And apparently you don't even consider her a friend if you're trying to hit on me after knowing how she feels about me. Now get out of my sight and leave me alone." The smile on her face vanished as he turned back to head the other way. He was getting real tired of her, she had tried to screw him over after what happened. If it were up to him he would keep her away from Poppy, he didn't know if she was really friends with her or not, but at this point it seemed to lean towards the latter. He might talk to Poppy about it later, but for now he had to find her.

Branch walked into the next room, the music was loud and pretty much everyone in the room was dancing. He looked around for a minute before he finally found her, but the scene before him made his blood boil and his vision go nearly red. A guy had her by the arm and it looked like she was trying to pull away, but he held onto her anyway. He saw her mouth 'Let go' and that was his cue. Branch strode over, and he shoved the guy away from her. How dare this jackass touch his girl.

"She said let go." Branch said firmly through clenched teeth.

The guy was sitting on the floor fuming, and as he stood up he said, "Mind your own business asshole."

Branch reacted without thinking and grabbed the guy by his shirt and brought him within inches of his face and said in a low, deep voice, "She is my business. Now stay away from her." He shoved the guy away from him and turned to face Poppy. He wanted to kill the guy, but he didn't want to waste his energy. Getting Poppy out of here was his number one priority.

"Let's go." He said sternly to her and pushed her ahead of him towards the kitchen. He was beyond pissed at the point and needed to get Poppy, GD and Suki and get out of there before he went back and started a fight. Suki and GD were waiting for them in the kitchen. Branch looked at GD and he could see fear flash across his friend's eyes, and GD looked at Poppy who hadn't said a word. He heard Suki ask her if she was alright and she replied with a quiet, "Yeah, let's just go." She didn't sound convincing, but he'd let it go for now.

The four of them then walked to Branch's car. He and GD got in the front while the girls got in the back. They stayed silent for a few minutes as Branch drove towards GD's apartment. "What the hell were you thinking? Why is she drunk?" He asked GD.

"I didn't mean for it to happen Branch, I made her first drink weak and then she must've made them too strong when she made the next ones for herself. I know you trusted me to look after her and I'm sorry. But she's okay." GD replied.

"Some asshole was trying to take advantage of her. Thank God I got there when I did, or I don't know what would have happened. I would've killed him had there not been a million witnesses." Branch snapped back, he was still seething after what he'd seen.

It took a minute for GD to reply, "I'm really sorry Branch, I thought she'd be fine dancing with lots of people around. I swear if we go to another party she won't be left alone."

"If she ever goes to another party, I'll be there."

They didn't talk anymore until they reached GD's apartment. GD turned to Branch before he got out, "Thanks a lot Branch, I really do appreciate it. And sorry for what happened tonight."

Branch had calmed down a little by now and was no longer pissed, "It's alright GD, I know it wasn't all your fault. You can call me anytime."

He heard from the backseat, "Thanks for the ride Branch. Oh, and Poppy here is passed out. Might want to take her home to keep an eye on her, she might get sick later."

The couple then excited the car as Branch's heartrate sky rocketed. He had to take her home with him?! Couldn't they have just told him where she lived? He turned to see Suki was telling the truth, the pink-haired girl was slumped on the seat passed out. Great, well looks like he was taking her back to his place. He shifted the car into reverse and got back onto the road. It was probably a good idea for someone to keep an eye on her, but did it have to be him.

It only took a few minutes to get back to his apartment. He tried shaking Poppy's shoulder to wake her, but she wouldn't wake. Branch hesitated, knowing he would have to carry her inside. He reached inside, putting one arm just behind her shoulders and the other behind her knees so she was cradled to his chest. Being this close he could smell her body spray past the alcohol, it was that same floral and sweet scent. Strangely, he was really starting to like it.

She didn't wake as he carried her towards his apartment. Awkwardly he managed to get his keys from his pocket and unlock the door. As gently as he could, he sat her down on the couch. He went to his room and picked up his dirty clothes quickly and threw them in the hamper. He would let her sleep in here for tonight, he would take the couch or his recliner.

On his way back to the living room he turned on the hall light. Normally he would turn on the living room light, but if Poppy was awake she probably wouldn't appreciate the bright light. He saw that Poppy was sitting up and awake as he entered the room. Branch sat next to her on the couch and looked her over making sure she was alright. She seemed to be okay, but he needed to make sure.

"Are you okay?" He asked.

Poppy nodded, "My head is killing me, and the room is spinning, but I'm okay."

"What were you thinking? You've never been to a party and you decide to get drunk at the first one you go to? Do you know how dangerous that is?" He realized too late that this questioning probably could have waited until later, but it was too late now.

Poppy seemed exasperated, "I didn't mean to. I made my own drinks too strong and didn't know it until it was too late."

Branch sighed, "Poppy, you've got to be more careful. What if something would've happened to you?"

"What do you mean?" She asked, looking a little confused.

"If I hadn't come in when I did, that jackass could've hurt you. He was much bigger than you." Just thinking of the guy made Branch want to hit something.

Poppy scoffed, "I was handling it just fine."

"Yeah, sure looked like it." He replied sarcastically.

She hesitated before replying, and he was sure his comment had upset her. "Why were you there anyway?" She asked.

"GD called me asking me for a ride, he and Suki had been drinking. Then you needed a ride too so here we are." Branch replied.

"So, why'd you bring me here? Why not take me back to my own room?"

"Because number 1 you were asleep, number 2 I don't know where you live, and number 3 because you're a lightweight and someone needs to keep an eye on you in case you do get sick. GD and Suki were barely awake when I left them at their apartment, so we all thought this was the best option." Branch said. He twisted the truth a little so it didn't look like her friends had basically just said good luck to him before leaving him with her.

He watched her face as she mulled this over, and then out of nowhere she began crying. Oh no, had he done something or said something wrong? He wasn't good at dealing with crying, but he felt he needed to help her somehow.

"Poppy? Poppy are you okay?" Branch moved closer to her on the couch until he had one arm wrapped around her shoulder. She shook her head and just kept on crying. He had no idea why she was crying His arm was stiff and tense at first, but gradually he relaxed as he got used to her against him. Strangely it felt nice. It only took a few minutes for her to finally calm down and stop crying.

Branch pulled away from her and tried to look her in the eyes, but she didn't meet his gaze. Not even thinking about it he put his hand under her chin and made her eyes meet his, "You can tell me what's wrong." His voice sounded unnaturally soft to his ears, he'd never spoken this way to anyone.

Poppy shook her head, "I can't Branch, I'm sorry. I can't talk about it."

He was slightly taken aback, what is it that she couldn't say. Had something happened to her? She was usually a chatterbox. He wouldn't pry for now. "It's okay Poppy, you can tell me when you're ready."

At this point their faces were only about a foot apart. Branch could see her brown eyes shine from her crying, and even with her tear-stained cheeks she was beautiful. How did a girl like this like a guy like him? In the next moment Poppy began leaning towards him, almost as if she was going to kiss him. Branch had to stop this if that was what she was intending. He put both of his hands on her shoulders and stopped her.

"Whoa, Poppy what are you doing?" Branch said, giving Poppy a chance to explain incase he assumed incorrectly.

"Well, uh, I wanted to kiss you." She said matter-of-fact. Wow, she must be very honest in her drunken state. Not that she was ever very shy, but that was blunt even for her. So, Branch had guessed correctly. And it wasn't that he didn't want to kiss her, but with her being drunk it just wouldn't be right.

"Poppy, even if this were to happen," he gestured between the two of them, "you're drunk. No way would I allow this to happen now. You're emotional and vulnerable, and I'm not taking advantage of that." He may have been a jackass at times, but when it came to this stuff his morals were pretty high. If she had tried kissing him sober, maybe he would have allowed that to happen.

Poppy pulled away from him and sighed. Quietly she mumbled, "Do you even like me Branch? Or do you just tolerate me?"

Branch was shocked at her question, but he liked her honesty in this state. He took a minute to think of response that would satisfy her, "Poppy, look, I do like you. But I don't think I'm right for you."

"What do you mean?"

"I'm not a nice guy. I've got a dark past, which means baggage. Nobody wants to deal with that. You seem like a nice girl with a bright future, why would you want to be with a guy like me?" He asked her.

"I like you Branch, I don't care about the baggage. Everyone has it, even me. Stop selling yourself short, even Guy says you're not that bad." Poppy had finally turned back to face him.

As much as he wanted to continue this conversation he had to get some sleep tonight, and she needed her sleep. But his hope was up that maybe they could be together.

Branch shook his head, "We can discuss this later. For now, you're going to bed. And I have to be at work tomorrow and it's late. Come on." He gestured for her to follow him as the two walked down a short hallway. They walked into his bedroom and he saw Poppy looking around. "You can sleep in here, I'll sleep on the couch."

He saw Poppy nod, put her phone on the bedside table, and climb into his bed. He could get used to this image. _Where the hell did that come from?_ But his thoughts were interrupted by her voice, "Goodnight Branch."

A smile spread across his lips, "Goodnight Poppy."

He turned around and shut off the light to his room, he was about walk back into the living room but when he turned to look at her once more he saw her phone light up. Branch walked towards the bed, just wanting to make sure that the text hadn't been from her father. He picked up her phone and saw that the number was unknown but the part of the message he'd seen had confused him. Knowing he shouldn't he unlocked her phone and looked at the message. Branch looked over to make sure she wasn't watching him, but she was already sound asleep again. The message he read didn't sit well with him and he and Poppy would be talking about it tomorrow.

'I know where you are Poppy, I'll see you soon.' Was all the message said. He put her phone back down and went back to the living room. Branch fell back in his recliner, it was more comfortable than the couch. That text kept going around in his head and he wondered what it meant. This took over his thoughts as he fell into a restless sleep.


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N: Hey guys, so sorry it took me longer to get this out than I thought it would. My kid got sick then I got sick plus writer's block, but we're all on the mend and hopefully you guys like this chapter. It's much slower paced than the last two, but I hope you guys like it anyway. As always thank you for the reviews.**

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Chapter 12

Poppy woke and she wished she could have just stayed asleep. Her head was killing her as she slowly opened her aching eyes. Wait, this wasn't her bed or her room. She would have jumped up if not for her migraine. That's when last night began coming back to her. This was Branch's room, in Branch's apartment. Then she remembered everything they'd talked about and her attempted kiss. She couldn't believe she'd tried to do that, she shouldn't expect Branch to be ready for that. Slowly she sat up, and not only was her head hurting but she felt nauseous and her stomach hurt.

 _I'm never drinking again._ Poppy thought to herself. She looked over at the bedside table and noticed there was a note, a glass of water, and two pills.

The note read: "Poppy, take these. They'll make you feel better. You can have anything you want in the kitchen. You can stay as long as you like, but if you leave please lock the door. – Branch"

 _Aw, how sweet._ Poppy thought as she set the note down and reached for the pills and glass of water. After she was done she checked her phone seeing that it was already after ten. Very slowly she got out of bed and noticed her heels were on the floor beside the bed. She couldn't remember taking them off, but some of last night was a blur. Poppy walked to the bathroom and nearly shrieked when she looked in the mirror. Her hair was a complete mess with half of it hanging out of her ponytail and her headband askew, her makeup was smudged and there were tear streaks from her crying last night, and there wear clear bags under her eyes from her night. She hoped Branch wouldn't mind her using his shower because she had to have one.

Poppy quickly showered and walked into the kitchen to find something to eat while her hair dried. Branch, being the typical man, didn't have a hair dryer so she would have settle for air drying today. Unlike most guys though, Branch actually had food in his fridge and cabinets. Poppy settled for a sandwich and some chips. She wasn't exactly the best cook, so this was a safe bet. Walking into the living room she set her plate on the coffee table and grabbed the remote to turn on the tv. She found one of her favorite sitcoms and sat back to eat her lunch.

After she ate she took her plate back to the kitchen and washed it real quick. She didn't want to leave any kind of mess for Branch to clean up after. She headed back to the living room to continue watching tv. Thoughts of leaving crossed her mind, but she didn't have a clue where she was and she was hoping to talk to Branch today. As much as she didn't want to relive her embarrassing moment from last night, they did need to address it and maybe define their relationship, whether it just be friendship or something more.

After an hour Poppy began to get restless. She never sat still for this long, she needed something to do. The guitar case on the opposite wall caught her eye. Poppy didn't know when Branch was going to be home, and she didn't want to be caught snooping, but it shocked her a little that Branch even owned a guitar. Glancing towards the door, she crept towards the guitar case and laid it flat on the floor to open it. She sat on the floor and opened the case. It was a simple acoustic guitar, no extra bells or whistles to it. Carefully she took it out and sat it on her lap. But what surprised her were the papers on the bottom of the case. Gently she set the guitar on the floor beside her and leaned forward to grab one of the pieces of paper. It was a song, as she read the lyrics she realized it was an original. _Branch must have written this._ Poppy had no idea Branch could write music, and this was really good. She couldn't come up with anything and Mr. Grumpy here had beautiful lyrics. And that's when an idea popped into her head. _Branch can help me write my song! I mean if he'll do it, I'm sure I can convince him. I wonder if he can sing too._

And that's when he walked through the door. Poppy looked up quickly, knowing she'd been caught. He'd stopped in the door way and was staring at her with a scowl on his face.

"What are you doing?" He asked her through clenched teeth.

She wasn't going to make excuses and she was hoping he wasn't too mad with her, "I'm sorry Branch, I was actually just going to look at your guitar then I found these songs. Please don't be too mad." She put the paper down and stood up, as much as she didn't want to face his anger she wasn't going to back down. He would not win this time.

Branch walked into the room and stood about two feet from Poppy and looked down at her. She had to look up a little bit to meet his gaze. "Why are you going through my things anyway?"

Poppy shrugged, "I was curious. And now I know you can write songs. You have to help me write one for my music class." She tried to dissipate his anger a bit by changing the subject, and it worked.

The scowl left his face and he looked surprised rather than angry. "Not gonna happen. And stop snooping." He stepped around her and put his guitar back in its case.

 _Well that went better than I thought it would. Now just to convince him to help me._ Poppy thought to herself as she turned around to watch Branch put away his guitar and sit the case back up against the wall. Before he could turn to face her she said, "Come on Branch, I read those lyrics. Why didn't anyone tell me you were into music? Can you sing too?"

Branch's face became stern again and his ice-blue eyes found hers as he faced her, "I said no, can't GD help you?"

It was obvious he was avoiding her last two questions, but she'd get back to that, "Yes, but your lyrics were beautiful Branch. You have to help me."

Branch turned away from her and headed to the kitchen, "I'm not helping you with your project Poppy, find someone else." He said to her as he looked in the fridge for something to eat. Poppy watched him as he first looked in the fridge then the cabinet where he found a granola bar. She tried to figure out her next angle as he ate, not sure which approach would be best with him. He eyed her as she stared at him. Just as Poppy was about to open her mouth to say something Branch cut her off, "No."

"You didn't even know what I was going to say." Poppy quipped back putting her hands on her hips.

"You're trying to think of a way to convince me to help you. I can see it all over your face." Branch smirked at her.

 _Oh, he is smug isn't he._ Instead of trying to start a fight with him, she was going to take a different approach. Fighting and/or begging is what he would expect so she needed to disarm him a bit. So with that in mind Poppy forced a neutral expression her face, turned around, and headed back to living room to sit back down and watch tv. She didn't even look his way as she sat down.

"Really?" She heard from the kitchen.

She replied back, "Yep." And continued staring at the tv, not giving Branch one look.

Poppy heard him walk back into the living room and sit in the recliner next to the couch. She could feel him looking at her, "So that's it? No fighting? No begging? Nothing?" His voice was filled with confusion.

She shook her head, "Nope. You said no, what else can I do?" She still refused to look at him. Poppy had no idea if this approach would work, but she was tired of begging. Either he would do this for her, or he wouldn't. If he didn't she could still do her project, she would just have to ask her friends for help. They already did so much for her she didn't want to ask them for anything else.

Poppy felt the seat beside her on the couch dip with his weight. She could see him out of the corner of her eye but didn't turn to look at him. "Are you okay?" He asked her.

"Fine, why?" She replied.

"Well you're refusing to look at me. And you're not begging me to help you." She heard the concern in his voice, and it sounded genuine. She was going to have to stop this act sooner or later, might as well be now. Slowly she turned to face him, and he was much closer than she thought, by the time she turned her head they were maybe a foot apart.

"Alright, I'm looking at you. And I'm not going to beg anymore. If you don't want to help me Branch, then fine. I'll just get somebody else." Poppy again was not going to back down from him, she didn't care how mean he could be or how much bigger he was than her, he was not going to scare her.

The two stared at each other, neither wanting to back down. But finally Branch looked away and got up from his seat on the couch and headed in the direction of his bedroom. Poppy wasn't sure what to think of that, maybe she'd upset him. She didn't think she had, her behavior had been a little childish but it wasn't anything to get upset about. Before had more time to think about it, Branch returned holding what looked like her cell phone in his hand.

He held it out to her and said, "Can you tell me what this is all about?"

Poppy took the phone from him and nearly dropped her phone as she read the message, 'I know where you are Poppy, I'll see you soon.'

She put her phone on the coffee table a little harder than necessary and looked at Branch. Her face showed her panic and she knew it.

"What does that mean?" Branch asked.

Poppy wasn't too sure what to say, she wasn't ready to tell Branch everything. "Um..it's from my ex. I don't talk to him anymore I swear, he's just trying to mess with me." She knew she didn't sound that convincing, but she was hoping it would satisfy him for now until she could talk about it.

Branch narrowed his eyes at her, "He's messing with you? That's one hell of a creepy message for just messing with you." He was now leaning forward in his chair with his elbows on his knees. "Tell me what this is about Poppy."

Poppy thought about to say for a minute. She couldn't tell Branch, they barely knew each other. Besides only a few others knew what happened, not even her friends knew and she wanted to keep it that way. But she didn't want to lie to Branch. "I can't talk about it Branch, I'm sorry. Maybe one day, but not now." She could feel the tears trying to escape from her eyes, but she took a few calming breaths to keep them in. She heard Branch lean back in his chair and say, "Okay Poppy, but just know I'm here if you need anything."

This shocked her as her head spun quickly to look at Branch, she'd never heard such kindness come from him. She smiled at him and said, "Thank you Branch."

The two sat in silence for a while, except for the tv as background noise. Poppy knew they needed to talk about last night and wasn't quite sure how to bring it up. She was so embarrassed over everything from the drinking, to the random guy on the dance floor, to the attempted kiss. If she remembered he'd handled it well and didn't freak out too badly. She stared at the floor as her thoughts whirled in her mind, but his voice finally broke through as she felt Branch sit beside her.

"Poppy, I uh.. think we need to talk about last night." He said to her.

Her head popped up quickly as her gaze met his and she swallowed audibly. "Okay." She replied nervously.

He gave her a light smile and stood up, offering his hand to her, "Come on."

She hesitantly took his hand and stood up, wondering what he was doing. "Where are we going?"

"You'll see. Oh, you'll probably need to change clothes, unless you want to walk around in a dress and heels?" He gestured to her clothes.

Poppy looked down, forgetting that she was even wearing the dress, "Could you take me by my dorm so I can get some new clothes?"

Branch nodded and waited for her by the door as she gathered her phone and heels. Then the two headed out the door and into Branch's car. Poppy directed him on how to get to her dorm and it didn't take them long to get there. Branch parked in front of her building and put his car in park. "I'll be back in just a few minutes." She said to him as she exited the car and headed into the dorm.

Once in her room she closed her door and leaned her back against it taking a deep breath and sighing. Slowly she walked over towards her closet and found a comfortable pair of jeans and a t-shirt. Poppy changed quickly, glad to be back in normal clothes again. The dress the twins made her was beautiful, but she preferred her jeans. She then looked in the mirror to do her hair and saw the headband, she'd almost completely forgotten about it. She made a move to take it off, but she decided to keep it instead. It was really cute, and it just seemed to fit her. Poppy did take it out long enough to put her hair back up in a ponytail, and put it back in once she was done, keeping her side swept bangs in front of it. Stepping back from the mirror, she examined herself. She did not look as pretty as last night, but she felt like she looked more like herself now. No makeup, hair up, and normal clothes. Deciding it was good enough she grabbed her jacket and headed out the door.

Branch was still waiting for her in his car when Poppy walked out of the building. She walked briskly to his car and got in. He began driving as she put on her seatbelt then realized she had no idea where they were going.

She looked at Branch and asked, "Where are we going?"

Branch gave her a sideways glance, "You'll see."

Poppy wasn't sure what to make of that but would go along with it. She didn't think he would take her anywhere questionable since he seemed to worry about her safety. Then she remembered back to the party the night before. Branch had defended her at the party and saved her from the guy with grabby hands. She had never been so happy to see him, but she had never seen him look so dangerous either.

Lost in her own thoughts Poppy hadn't realized the car had stopped and Branch was looking at her, "You okay?" His voice made her turn and get back into reality.

"Oh yeah, fine, I was just lost in my thoughts." Poppy blushed. Then she looked around, it looked like they were at a park. There was a big playground for kids to her left and in front of them was a sidewalk that seemed to be a walking/biking trail. She'd seen this same sidewalk all over town and even on campus.

"The park?" She looked at Branch questioningly.

Branch nodded and got out of the car. Poppy followed suit and asked, "Why?"

"We can walk and talk here, it's neutral ground." Branch stated matter-of-factly.

Poppy hadn't thought of it like that, but it did make sense. The two then made it to the walking path and began walking. It was beautiful here, and of course with it being a weekend there were lots of people, but no one paid them any mind. The path was open at first but then the trail led into trees on either side, not in a creepy way though. With the fall foliage it was beautiful, there were several hues of green, red, and yellow all around them. Poppy looked around in amazement, she couldn't believe she'd never ventured here. She'd definitely have to come back.

The two walked silently for a while, Poppy wasn't exactly sure what to say. She wanted to apologize for everything that had happened last night, but she couldn't find the right words. Finally, Branch broke the silence, "So, about last night.." It sounded like he wanted to say more, but Poppy interjected.

"I'm so sorry!" She blurted. "You were right, I was so stupid last night. I was extremely irresponsible, I can't believe you had to practically rescue me. I should have been more careful."

She looked at Branch, and amazingly he was giving her a small smile. He was so handsome when he smiled, but those thoughts needed to wait until they'd finished talking.

"It's okay Poppy, but yes you should have been more careful. And if you ever go to another party, I will be there." Branch said.

Poppy was surprised, Branch did really seem to care. "Okay then." She replied.

Then she remembered the kiss, "Oh, and about the kiss thing…I'm really sorry. I just had so many emotions coming up and I don't know what I was thinking."

Branch didn't say anything for a minute as the two continued walking. Poppy wasn't sure if he was going to answer, and it was making her very nervous. She did really want to try to be with Branch, but last night may have pushed him away more. She may just have screwed everything up. Before she let her thoughts go any further she mentally told herself _Think positive, think positive, getting worked up like this won't help anything._ Poppy took a few deep breaths, calming herself. Thankfully it worked, and she tried to think as positively as she could. Since Branch still hadn't answered her she started humming.

"You didn't do anything wrong Poppy." His voice made her stopping humming. "I just didn't want to take advantage of you while you were drunk, it wouldn't have been right, even if it just would've been a kiss."

That was not the answer she was expecting, she just figured he didn't want to kiss her. "So, if I'd been sober would you have kissed me?" She saw Branch falter a step as they walked, obviously her question had caught him off guard. Again, it took him a while to answer to Poppy started singing very quietly to herself as she looked around at the beautiful leaves.

"I probably wouldn't have stopped you." Branch finally replied.

Poppy stopped her singing and looked up at him, her eyes found his as they looked at each other. "Really?" She questioned.

"Poppy, it was hard enough for me to stop you last night. It's not that I don't want to kiss you, I just don't want to end up accidentally hurting you." Wow, Branch was being really honest.

"Um, wow Branch. So, you actually do want to kiss me?" Poppy decided to ignore the last half of his statement and focus on the positive.

"Yes, okay, happy now?" Branch replied, finally admitting it to her.

"Yes!" Poppy squealed excitedly, she drew attention from a few others passing them, but she didn't care. But now she didn't know what that meant for them. "So, what now?" She asked.

Branch rubbed his neck with his hand, showing his nervousness, "Well actually, I was thinking about asking you out the other day before our um..disagreement. I was going to see if you'd want to do something this weekend."

"Really? Well I'm free the rest of the weekend." Poppy stated, trying to hide her excitement.

Branch stopped walking and turned to face Poppy. He grabbed one of her hands and placed a hand on either side of it, "I'm really sorry for being an ass all this time. I didn't realize you felt the way you do, and I didn't mean to hurt your feelings. If we're going to do this," he gestured between the two of them, "I have to apologize and make sure we're on the same page. Can you forgive me?"

Poppy gave him a huge smile and said, "Of course I forgive you!" Then she preceded to throw her arms around him, engrossing him in a hug. Hesitantly Branch hugged her back. His arms felt so nice and warm around her.

After a minute they began pulling away from each other, but not completely. Poppy looked up into Branch's blue eyes, for the first time he looked truly happy. He moved one hand up to her cheek and before she knew it he was leaning down to kiss her. She leaned up so her lips could meet his. Immediately she felt sparks, she had never experienced it before. Sure, she'd been kissed but this was totally new. It felt…right, like it was meant to be. It was a slow, tender kiss that didn't last long. Branch pulled away first, and as soon as Poppy opened her eyes she realized why. She'd actually forgotten they were in public, where there were other people. No one was paying them any attention, but she was sure it made Branch uncomfortable.

"Wow." Was all she could say as her eyes met his.

"Yeah." He said in reply.

Before she allowed herself to hesitate Poppy asked, "So, will you help me with my music project?"

Branch threw his head back and sighed loudly before meeting Poppy's pleading gaze, "Fine, but I'm not singing."

"Yay!" Poppy yelled in excitement before taking off walking again. She was ecstatic that Branch had agreed to help her. And all she had to do was kiss him, that was easy enough.

A few minutes of silence passed between the two before Poppy spoke up again. "So, what were you thinking for a date?"

Branch quickly caught up with her and shrugged, "I haven't thought too much about it, but I'm sure I can come up with something."

"Ohhh a surprise, sounds fun." Poppy said, knowing Branch could probably find something they could both do for fun.

The two then walked in silence for a while, Poppy was lost in her own thoughts. She had never heard Branch talk so much and figured he needed a break. But that was fine with her as it gave her time to think about that kiss. She hadn't expected him to kiss her, especially after last night, but she was so glad he did. His lips had been warm and firm against hers. It felt like it should have been her first kiss, rather than that scumbag. Of course now she wasn't sure what they were, were they boyfriend and girlfriend? Just dating? For now she would just say dating, she didn't want to be presumptuous about the relationship unless Branch said otherwise.

Poppy looked up to find that Branch wasn't beside her anymore. She looked behind her to find him sitting on the hood of his car watching her from about 20 feet away. She'd been so out of it that she hadn't realized they'd circled around and made it back to the parking lot. Quickly, she made her way over to Branch, "Why didn't you stop me?"

Branch looked amused, "I wanted to see how long it would take you, I wouldn't have let you get too far. Now come on." Branch got up off his car and got in.

Poppy got in the passenger seat of the car, "Where are we going now?"

"I'm taking you home." Branch replied.

"What? Why? I thought…" Poppy didn't finish her sentence, they were having a good time, why did he need to take her home?

"I've had a great day Poppy, but I do have to come up with plans for tomorrow, remember? You still want to go on a date, right?"

"Of course!" She exclaimed excitedly.

She saw Branch smile as he began driving back to her dorm. It didn't take long to get back and before she knew it they were parked in front of her dorm. "So, I'll see you tomorrow?" Poppy asked before she exited the car.

"Yeah, I'll call you with a time." Branch replied.

Poppy hesitated before getting out, then had one last idea. She suddenly through herself at Branch, her lips making contact with his. It obviously shocked him, as it took a second for him to kiss her back. This kiss was a bit more passionate, as they weren't out in public like they had been before. She wanted to run her fingers through his hair but thought better of it. Poppy reluctantly pulled back, not wanting things too get too far. She didn't know what Branch could handle and she wasn't sure how ready she was for anything.

She gave him a huge grin and got out of the car. Poppy waved and yelled, "Bye!" as she scampered off into her dorm.

Poppy threw herself onto her bed on her back after she entered her room. She didn't think she could be any happier than in this moment. They'd finally kissed! It had only taken months and a few spats, but it was finally happening. They may not be officially together, but he was giving this a chance. After a few minutes in her euphoria she remembered she need to check her phone. She'd missed a call from her dad and a few texts from Guy, Suki, and Chenille. She replied to all her texts and called her dad back. With it being a Saturday there weren't any meetings to interrupt them and she got to talk to her father for nearly an hour before she didn't have much left to say.

Poppy was still in a great mood after she hung up, but then she remembered the text she had gotten. Her good mood dissipated, and internally she began to panic. If he knows where she is, she's in trouble. She thought she had done just about everything to make sure he didn't find her, or even if he did he was supposed to leave her alone. Trying not to completely freak out, Poppy took a few deep, calming breaths and was able to relax a little. Getting upset over this wouldn't solve anything. For now she would ignore it, just like she had the last one.

Before going to bed that night, Poppy checked her door and windows to make sure they were all locked. She even slept with her tv on, so she wouldn't have sleep in the dark. It took her a while to get to sleep, but finally she was able to get the text out of her head by thinking of Branch.

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 **A/N: Finally a kiss!**


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N: Hey guys, new chapter for ya! So happy to see all the reviews for the last chapter. I'm going to start replying to reviews again, I feel there are several I need to address and this is the best way to do it.**

 **mlpfanceline1: I'm so glad you liked the chapter. No, he hasn't heard her sing yet. As for the rest you'll find out I promise :) I actually have not heard of an audio drama, but I'm glad my story may be able to help you with one.**

 **Link Fangirl01: I'm happy you liked the chapter, and thank you for your concern and we are both better now :)**

 **Guest 2: I thought about that, but my thought was that Poppy would be too freaked out by the text to think about it. But yes, Branch is a hyprocrite lol.**

 **Warning: Slight cussing ahead...**

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Chapter 13

Branch woke up groggily to his alarm the next morning. He pulled his phone out of his pocket and shut the annoying chime off before sitting up in his chair and rubbing his face with his hands. He got up and walked to the kitchen where his coffee was already brewed and poured himself a cup. Making his way back to the living room he turned on the tv, and quickly turned it down remembering Poppy was just down the hall sleeping. He watched the news like every morning while drinking his coffee and thinking about last night. It was the reason he was so tired, he'd had to rescue Poppy from the party and then deal with her emotional breakdown, and then she'd tried to kiss him. He wanted to hit himself for how mean and thoughtless he'd been towards her. All this time she'd actually wanted to be with him, and he couldn't get out of his own way to see it. From now on, it would be different, if she still wanted anything to do with him after the last few days. He could try to be more patient with her enthusiastic personality and do more things with her. She wasn't attending another party without him, of that he was certain.

Quietly Branch crept down the hallway and into his room to check on Poppy. She was breathing deeply and had barely moved since he'd put her to bed. Looking down he realized she hadn't taken her shoes off from the night before, so without waking her he took the heels off and put them on the floor. That had to be more comfortable. He then grabbed what clothes he needed and went to the bathroom to change. While in there he went to his medicine cabinet and pulled out some Tylenol. From the bottle he dropped two pills in his hand and set them on the counter. _These will make her feel better, especially after the night she had,_ Branch thought to himself. He then headed out to the kitchen to grab a glass of water. Branch set the pills and glass of water on the night stand next to his bed so Poppy would see them when she woke up. Then thinking quickly before he had to head to work, he grabbed a piece of paper and wrote her a quick note and sat it next to the Tylenol and water. Before leaving he looked at Poppy one last time. She looked so peaceful in her sleep, her relaxed face was different than the optimistic face he usually saw, but she was still beautiful. He leaned down and placed a quick kiss on her forehead before heading out the door.

His day at work went very slowly. He couldn't stop thinking about the pink-haired girl he'd left in his bed that morning. Branch hoped she was okay and wasn't going to be too sick when she woke up. She didn't seem like much of a drinker, so a hangover might be agonizing for her. There wasn't much he could do to help her though, hopefully she would take the Tylenol he left her and she found something to eat that wouldn't upset her stomach more than it probably already was. His thoughts continued like this until he was finally allowed to go home. The drive to his apartment had never felt so long, he just wanted to get home and make sure Poppy was okay. Finally, he made it home and practically jumped out his car. He had to pace himself so he didn't run to his door. He took a deep breath before entering to center himself. But when he opened the door the scene before him was not what he expected.

Poppy, who for the first time was wearing her hair down, was sitting on the floor of his living room with his guitar case open in front of her. His guitar was sitting on the floor behind her and she held a piece of paper in her hand. Immediately she looked up at him, obviously not expecting him to catch her. She was reading one of his songs. Those were things no one was supposed to see. How dare she go through his things.

"What are you doing?" He asked her through clenched teeth, trying to control his anger.

"I'm sorry Branch, I was actually just going to look at your guitar then I found these songs. Please don't be too mad." She pleaded as she put the paper back down in the case and stood up. She did look sorry, but it still didn't excuse her for what she did. But he did promise himself things would be different so instead of yelling at her he was going to try and remain calm about this. Nothing was broken here, it seemed all she did was read his lyrics.

Branch walked into the room and stood about two feet from Poppy and looked down at her. She had to look up a little bit to meet his gaze. "Why are you going through my things anyway?"

Poppy shrugged, "I was curious. And now I know you can write songs. You have to help me write one for my music class."

Branch didn't even have to think about that answer, "Not gonna happen. And stop snooping." He stepped around her and put his guitar back in its case and set it back up against the wall. Did she honestly think he would help her with something like this? He didn't write music anymore, he barely even sang. It had been a rare occurrence since his grandmother's death.

Then he heard her voice before he could turn and face her, "Come on Branch, I read those lyrics. Why didn't anyone tell me you were into music? Can you sing too?"

Branch's face became stern again and his ice-blue eyes found hers as he faced her, "I said no, can't GD help you?"

"Yes, but your lyrics were beautiful Branch. You have to help me." She replied, looking helpless. But he wouldn't fall for it, he was not going to help her with this.

Branch turned away from her and headed to the kitchen, "I'm not helping you with your project Poppy, find someone else." He said to her as he looked in the fridge for something to eat. He could feel her watching him as he moved to cabinet where he found a granola bar that would tide him over until dinner. Branch turned back to face her, and he eyed her as she stared at him. He could tell Poppy was about to say something else and cut her off with a "No."

"You didn't even know what I was going to say." Poppy quipped back putting her hands on her hips.

"You're trying to think of a way to convince me to help you. I can see it all over your face." Branch smirked at her. He knew he could read body language much better than her. Years of being quiet and observing in the background had made him adept at it.

He was waiting for her to fight back, but instead she just walked back to the living room and sat down to watch tv. What was happening? She always had something else to say.

"Really?" He said to her.

Without even looking at him she replied, "Yep." She continued watching tv as he sat there in stunned silence. He knew she was probably still upset with him, but this was something totally new. Branch had to figure out what was going on here.

He walked into the living and sat in his recliner, just looking at her, "So that's it? No fighting? No begging? Nothing?" He was so confused.

She shook her head, "Nope. You said no, what else can I do?" Poppy still wouldn't look at him. This was driving him crazy.

He got up and sat beside her on the couch, at this point not really sure what to do. "Are you okay?" He asked, hoping it would get her talking.

"Fine, why?" She replied.

"Well you're refusing to look at me. And you're not begging me to help you." Branch hoped she could hear the concern in his voice.

Finally, she turned to face him and he let out the breath he didn't realize he'd been holding. "Alright, I'm looking at you. And I'm not going to beg anymore. If you don't want to help me Branch, then fine. I'll just get somebody else." She said to him. She looked serious, obviously not afraid of him anymore. It impressed him a bit as the two continued to stare at each other, neither one wanting to back down. But finally, Branch looked away realizing Poppy wasn't giving up. Then he remembered the message he'd read last night. He got up from his seat on the couch and headed in the direction of his bedroom. Poppy's phone was still on his nightstand and he easily found her messages. Quickly he found the one he wanted and headed back to the living room.

He held the phone out to her as he returned and asked, "Can you tell me what this is all about?"

Branch was actually concerned, this was not a normal message. And the fact that the message wasn't from a contact in her phone was even more troubling. But he would let her explain before blowing it out of proportion.

Poppy took the phone from him and it looked like she was about to drop it after reading the text. She put her phone on the coffee table a little harder than necessary and looked at Branch. He could see the panic on her face.

"What does that mean?" Branch asked.

She hesitated before answering, "Um..it's from my ex. I don't talk to him anymore I swear, he's just trying to mess with me."

That was one of the worst lies Branch had ever heard. Did she really think he'd believe that? From the look on her face, even she didn't believe it. Branch narrowed his eyes at her, "He's messing with you? That's one hell of a creepy message for just messing with you." He was now leaning forward in his chair with his elbows on his knees. "Tell me what this is about Poppy."

It was obvious she didn't want to tell him, he was not going to push her too hard on this. If she didn't want to talk about right now it he would understand. "I can't talk about it Branch, I'm sorry. Maybe one day, but not now." She said. Poppy looked as if she wanted to cry and Branch didn't want to see that again after last night. So instead of making her any more upset he simply said, "Okay Poppy, but just know I'm here if you need anything."

She quickly looked at him, as if she was shocked at what he said. Though he had to admit that the softness in his voice sounded strange to him too. She smiled at him and said, "Thank you Branch."

The two sat in silence for a while, except for the tv as background noise. Branch was waiting for Poppy to bring up last night, but after a while it seemed she wasn't going to. Maybe she was too embarrassed over what had happened. Slowly he got up from his chair and sat beside her on the couch.

"Poppy, I uh.. think we need to talk about last night." He said to her.

Her head popped up quickly as her gaze met his and she swallowed audibly. "Okay." She replied, not even trying to conceal the nervousness in her voice.

He thought about it for a second before deciding they couldn't talk here. They needed to be on a neutral ground so that neither of them would be too uncomfortable. It was going to be awkward enough for them but changing the scenery would help a bit. He gave her a light smile and stood up, offering his hand to her, "Come on."

She hesitantly took his hand and stood up. "Where are we going?" She asked.

"You'll see. Oh, you'll probably need to change clothes, unless you want to walk around in a dress and heels?" He gestured to her clothes. She did look beautiful in her dress, even though it was a bit crumpled from her sleeping in it. And of course she'd looked gorgeous last night, but he was too angry to really notice at the time. He really regretted not going to that party with her.

Poppy looked down, as if she forgot what she was wearing, "Could you take me by my dorm so I can get some new clothes?"

Branch nodded and waited for her by the door as she gathered her belongings. Then the two headed out the door and into Branch's car. Poppy directed him on how to get to her dorm and it didn't take them long to get there. Branch parked in front of her building and put his car in park. "I'll be back in just a few minutes." She said to him as she exited the car and headed into the dorm.

He waited patiently while Poppy was inside, and he heard his phone chime. Looking at it he saw it was a text from GD.

'How's Poppy?'

'She's fine, didn't get sick last night.' Branch replied.

'Oh, so she still there?'

'We're about to head to the park, gotta talk some things out.'

'Bout damn time, good luck dude! Keep me posted, I wanna go on a double date soon :P'

Branch didn't bother replying to that, but it did make him smile. He knew GD barely had any boundaries and he seemed to really want him and Poppy together. Unbeknownst to GD, Branch would like them to be together too. As much as he thought he wasn't right for her, he still couldn't stop thinking about her and something about her just drew him to her. He just wanted to get this talk out of the way so they knew where the other stood.

He stayed lost in his thoughts until Poppy opened the passenger door and climbed inside. She had changed into her usual jeans and t-shirt and had her hair up, but she had kept her headband from the night before. It was cute on her.

He pulled away from the dorm and began driving to their destination.

Poppy suddenly asked, "Where are we going?"

Branch gave her a sideways glance, "You'll see."

It didn't take them long to reach the park and Branch found the parking lot and stopped the car. He was about to get out when he noticed Poppy staring off into space. "You okay?" He asked her.

"Oh yeah, fine, I was just lost in my thoughts." Poppy blushed.

He saw her begin to look around, it was obvious from the look on her face she had never been here before.

"The park?" She looked at Branch questioningly.

Branch nodded and got out of the car. Poppy followed suit and asked, "Why?"

"We can walk and talk here, it's neutral ground." Branch stated matter-of-factly.

The two then made it to the walking path and began walking. They walked silently for a while, neither one speaking. Branch wasn't sure where to start, not only did they need to talk about last night but about their spat in Starbucks, and even before that. Finally, Branch broke the silence, "So, about last night.." He hesitated before saying more but Poppy cut in before he could.

"I'm so sorry!" She blurted. "You were right, I was so stupid last night. I was extremely irresponsible, I can't believe you had to practically rescue me. I should have been more careful."

A small smile formed on his face and before he could shut it down Poppy looked at him and saw it. "It's okay Poppy, but yes you should have been more careful. And if you ever go to another party, I will be there." Branch said.

"Okay then." She replied. "Oh, and about the kiss thing…I'm really sorry. I just had so many emotions coming up and I don't know what I was thinking." She continued.

Branch hesitated before replying, he wanted to say the right words because what he said next could change everything. As much as he didn't want to admit it, to himself or to her, he probably would've let it happen had she not been drunk. He did want to try to make this work with her. As he thought he could hear her start humming, it was quiet but was probably her way of filling the silence between them. Finally though he was able to come up with what he thought was the right thing to say.

"You didn't do anything wrong Poppy." He heard her stop humming. "I just didn't want to take advantage of you while you were drunk, it wouldn't have been right, even if it just would've been a kiss."

"So, if I'd been sober would you have kissed me?" The question caught him off guard and he faltered a step. Branch was not exactly sure how to answer that. The easy answer was yes, he would've kissed her. He might as well tell her the truth, but he wasn't so used to being open with people. It was hard enough with GD, and he had known him basically his whole life. Then he heard Poppy start singing, it was barely audible but it was there. He was taking too long to answer again. Her voice sounded nice though.

"I probably wouldn't have stopped you." Branch finally replied.

Poppy stopped her singing and looked up at him, her eyes found his as they looked at each other. "Really?" She questioned.

"Poppy, it was hard enough for me to stop you last night. It's not that I don't want to kiss you, I just don't want to end up accidentally hurting you." There, he'd said it. The truth was out there, and hopefully it wouldn't backfire on him.

"Um, wow Branch. So, you actually do want to kiss me?" She replied, seeming almost surprised.

"Yes, okay, happy now?" Branch said, finally admitting it to her. _Geez, what does she need a sign in the sky?_

"Yes!" Poppy squealed excitedly. A few others looked at them from her outburst, but right now even Branch didn't mind.

"So, what now?" She asked.

Branch rubbed his neck with his hand, showing his nervousness, "Well actually, I was thinking about asking you out the other day before our um..disagreement. I was going to see if you'd want to do something this weekend." He knew that it wasn't exactly a "disagreement" but it a lot easier than saying she'd basically yelled at him then stomped out. He had deserved it though, it finally made him really start thinking about them and what he wanted.

"Really? Well I'm free the rest of the weekend." Poppy stated, obviously containing her excitement.

Branch stopped walking and turned to face Poppy. He grabbed one of her hands and placed a hand on either side of it, "I'm really sorry for being an ass all this time. I didn't realize you felt the way you do, and I didn't mean to hurt your feelings. If we're going to do this," he gestured between the two of them, "I have to apologize and make sure we're on the same page. Can you forgive me?"

Poppy gave him a huge smile and said, "Of course I forgive you!" Then she preceded to throw her arms around him, engrossing him in a hug. Hesitantly Branch hugged her back. He wasn't used to being hugged, but this actually felt nice.

After a minute they began pulling away from each other, but not completely. Poppy looked up into Branch's blue eyes, for the first time he felt truly happy and he was going to show it. He moved one hand up to her cheek and slowly began leaning down to kiss her. Poppy leaned up, so her lips could meet his. As soon as they touched Branch could feel the electricity run through him. He'd never felt anything like it before. He wanted to move his hand to the back of neck to hold her in place, but since they were in public he held himself back and kept his hand on her cheek. Remembering they actually were in public made him pull back sooner than he wanted to. He was not a PDA kind of person and it wasn't going to start now. It didn't seem like anyone was watching them thankfully. They were probably used to people their age kissing in public.

"Wow." Was all she could say as her eyes met his.

"Yeah." He said in reply. There were no other words for that kiss.

Quickly Poppy asked, "So, will you help me with my music project?"

Branch threw his head back and sighed loudly before meeting Poppy's pleading gaze, "Fine, but I'm not singing."

"Yay!" Poppy yelled in excitement before taking off walking again. Branch took a couple of quick steps to catch up with her before they were side by side again.

A few minutes of silence passed between the two before Poppy spoke up again. "So, what were you thinking for a date?"

Branch shrugged, "I haven't thought too much about it, but I'm sure I can come up with something."

The two then walked in silence for a while, which was fine with Branch. This had been a lot of talking for him, and that kiss had damn near short-circuited his brain. It would take a few minutes for it work correctly again. And he'd agreed to help her with that music project. Yep, his brain was messed up. It had been a while since he'd written anything, but he'd try for her. But he refused to sing, that was all up to her. He'd heard her voice a little bit earlier, but she would have to actually sing if he was going to help her with this. It had sounded nice from what little he did hear though, maybe she was truthful in her ability.

Looking around he realized they'd circled the park and ended up back near the parking lot. He looked over at Poppy and she wasn't paying any more attention to their surroundings than he'd been. As they walked by his car he left the path to lean against it. He watched her continue walking, seeing how long it would take her to realize he wasn't beside her anymore. She walked about twenty feet when her head popped up and she looked around, and then back at him.

Quickly, she made her way over to him, looking a little annoyed, "Why didn't you stop me?"

Branch smirked, "I wanted to see how long it would take you, I wouldn't have let you get too far. Now come on." Branch got up off his car and got into the driver's seat.

Poppy got in the passenger seat of the car, "Where are we going now?"

"I'm taking you home." Branch replied.

"What? Why? I thought…" Poppy sounded a little deflated, she didn't even finish her sentence. Branch didn't want to disappoint her. After his day he needed a little time to himself and to unwind. It had been a long night and a busy day, and he was getting tired. She had to be tired too. But then he thought of the right thing to say to her.

"I've had a great day Poppy, but I do have to come up with plans for tomorrow, remember? You still want to go on a date, right?" He really did have to come up with something.

"Of course!" She exclaimed excitedly.

Branch smiled at her enthusiasm as he began driving back to her dorm. It didn't take long to get back and he parked in front of her dorm just like he had before.

"So, I'll see you tomorrow?" Poppy asked before she exited the car.

"Yeah, I'll call you with a time." Branch replied. He didn't really want to see her go, but they would see each other tomorrow.

Before he could react Poppy launched herself at him, connecting their lips. He was so caught off guard it took him a second to kiss her back. This kiss was much more heated since they didn't have an audience like before. Branch wanted to put his hands on her but kept them firmly planted where they were. He would not ruin this by trying to take it too far too soon. In all honesty he didn't want to. He liked her for her, if anything physical was to happen between them she would be calling the shots. Thankfully Poppy pulled away first.

She gave him a huge grin and got out of the car. Poppy waved and yelled, "Bye!" as she scampered off into her dorm.

Branch sat there for a few minutes completely speechless. Now his brain had short-circuited. Finally he was able to bring himself back to reality as he put his car in drive and headed back to his apartment. His thoughts consisted of nothing but that kiss the whole way home. He thought the first kiss was great, but that was even better.

After walking into his apartment, Branch felt kind of…lonely. He'd always been a loner, but now it seemed it was weighing on him. He hadn't felt this way since he'd lost his grandma. Without Poppy here, his place just felt empty. Branch tried to shake it off and continued his evening like he normally would.

He showered and made dinner and sat down to watch tv, trying to get back into his normal routine. But he couldn't stop thinking about Poppy. Their day together had been one of the best of his life. He couldn't remember being so happy. That led him to another thought though: what were they? Were they boyfriend/girlfriend now? Branch didn't want to label them just yet, especially since he hadn't really ever had a girlfriend. He'd been with other girls, if that's what you wanted to call it. But that was more for fun than anything, he'd never been serious about that. With Poppy it was different though, he actually wanted to be serious with her. No games or anything this time.

That's when his phone chimed, he knew it would be GD checking on him.

'Did y'all talk today? How'd it go?'

'Yes, went good.' Branch replied, he didn't want to give GD any more details. Poppy's whole group of friends would know within minutes if he did.

'That's it? Where's the deets man?'

Branch chuckled. _Same old GD,_ Branch thought to himself. 'That's all your getting.'

'Fine, so double date soon? 😉.'

'We'll see.' Branch set aside his phone and didn't hear his phone chime again. He figured he satisfied GD's curiosity. Poppy would probably tell them at least something, hopefully not everything though.

As he laid down to go to bed that night he realized his sheets still smelled like Poppy. He wasn't sure what body spray or perfume she used, but he really liked it. That reminded him he had to come up with some plans for tomorrow. His brain played out a thousand scenarios before he finally came up with the perfect idea.


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N: OMG you guys, so sorry it took so long for this update! It took me a while to write this chapter, I was stuck on which way it should go and I ended up making it much different than originally planned. Thank you for the reviews from the last chapter. Hope you guys like this one!**

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Chapter 14

Poppy got ready for her date after Branch had called her. _He said to wear some clothes I didn't mind getting dirty._ She thought to herself as she rummaged through her small closet trying to find some clothes she could wear. What Branch had planned, she had no clue. It excited her though, he'd given no inclination as to what they were doing. Aside from school she didn't really know what Branch liked or what he was into. He didn't seem like the dinner and movie kind of guy, and with the clothing request it sounded like they'd be doing something outside. She finally found a pair of old faded blue jeans, older t-shirt, and a pair of tennis shoes that had seen better days. Poppy picked up the headband her friends had given her debating on wearing it but decided otherwise. She didn't want to get it dirty or ruin it.

After getting dressed she patiently waited for Branch to call or text her to let her know he was waiting outside for her. Luckily for her she didn't have to wait long for him to text saying he was parked outside her dorm. She had practically been bouncing in her chair waiting for it and now she could finally go see her man. And there he was sitting in his car, just as good-looking as always as Poppy tried to keep her calm and walk at a normal pace. But she couldn't hide the smile on her face as she reached the car door and hopped into the passenger seat.

"Hi!" She said a little too enthusiastically.

Branch gave her a small smile in return, "Hi." He replied.

"So, what are we doing today?" Poppy asked as she put her seatbelt on.

"It's a surprise." Branch replied as he began driving.

It was nice outside today, there was slight breeze but it was warm for being fall. Poppy loved this kind of weather, perfect to be outside since cold temperatures weren't far off. Poppy looked out the window as they drove through the city. She didn't go out too much unless it was with her friends so she had no clue where they were going. After ten minutes they were headed out of the city and began passing miles of crops and fields on either side of the highway. Poppy began to wonder where they were headed.

She turned to Branch, "Where are we going?"

"You'll see, we're almost there." Branch replied to her giving her a quick glance.

Sure enough after a few minutes Branch pulled off the road in front of a big metal shop like building that had chain-link fence coming off the sides and extended both ways for about a quarter mile. She looked around as they pulled into a parking spot and quickly recognized Guy's car a few spots down. Looking towards the doors that entered the building she saw Guy and Suki standing there. She forgot about where they were doing and waved to her friends who waved back and smiled at her. But then remembered that this was supposed to be a date for her and Branch, what were her friends doing here?

She turned to Branch and asked, "Um, not that it really bothers me, but what are Guy and Suki doing here? I thought this was a date."

Branch sighed and looked at her, "It is, but those two invited themselves after I asked GD if this would be a good idea for you. He's been bugging me for a double date since the day we met, I was hoping they wouldn't actually show up."

"Oh okay, well I'm sure we can all have fun together." Poppy was actually kind of excited to have one of her girlfriends here. Maybe Branch could relax a bit more around her having Guy here too.

"You ready?" Branch asked her.

"Yes!" She said excitedly.

The two then exited the car and Poppy ran up to her friends and gave them both a hug. "Hey guys!" Poppy said enthusiastically.

"Hey Poppy, so you finally got Branch here to go out with you? Only took forever." Guy said to her with a big smile on his face.

"Shut up." Branch snapped back.

"Yeah hope you guys don't mind that we tagged along, but we couldn't let Branch take you to paintball your first time without us." Suki said, slightly guilty.

Poppy perked up at the word "paintball." "That's what we're doing, I've never played before, but it's always looked fun." She looked down at her old jeans and t-shirt, "So that's why you wanted to me to wear these clothes."

Branch nodded, "I figured you'd never played, but the rest of us have."

"I'm so excited!" Poppy said excitedly to Suki as the group headed into the building. Once inside the guys went to get the gear while the girls stayed behind.

Suki gave her a big grin, "It's gonna be so much fun, but I hope you know we all play rough."

"Are we all against each other or are there teams?" Poppy asked since she knew nothing about the sport.

"Usually when it's the three of us we play as a team against others but since there's four of us it could be you and Branch against me and Guy, or girls against boys."

Poppy didn't even hesitate, "Girls against boys!"

Suki lifted her hand for a high-five, "That's my girl! I can show you everything you need to know about taking the guys down."

"You girls are going down." Guy said to them as he and Branch returned. "We're not gonna take it easy on you just because your girls."

Suki just looked at Guy amused with her hands on her hips, "Bring it on."

Poppy looked at Branch, "Sorry Branch, but you guys are going down."

Branch gave a slightly wicked smile, "In your dreams Poppy."

"Losers buy dinner!" Suki shouted throwing her hands in the air.

* * *

The group exited the building after their strenuous game of paintball. All of them were dirty, sweaty, and had paint on them. Well, except for Branch.

"OMG you guys that was so much fun!" Poppy exclaimed, exhilarated from her very first paintball game. She'd been confused at first, but once Suki had shown her how to use the gun and how to properly hide – whether it was behind a tree, boulder, small hill, or the random vertical pieces of tin in the field – Poppy had had so much fun. She'd run after Suki, following her lead as her friend had shown her the basics of hiding from the enemy while continuing to move around the field. "You don't want to stay in one place too long." Suki had said to her, "You gotta keep moving so it's harder for the enemy." Poppy at the time had simply nodded and followed her friend. But she wasn't the first to get shot that day. Guy had gotten Suki first after half an hour and Poppy had been left on her own. Luckily Suki had shown her to shoot just well enough that she was able to get Guy back and left a big pink paint mark on his safety gear. But she was no match for Branch. Just when she thought she'd hid well enough behind a big tree and began looking around for him something had hit her right below her chest. A big blue paint splatter covered the black of the safety gear. Some of it had even splashed onto her face. She hadn't even seen Branch when he'd shot her, but soon enough he came out from behind one of those pieces of tin smiling victoriously and holding his paintball gun against his shoulder.

"Yeah, but we lost." Suki said, sounding defeated.

Guy put his arm around her, "Hey babe it's okay, now you and Poppy get to buy me and Branch dinner."

Suki swatted his arm away playfully and the two laughed. Poppy smiled at the happy couple and looked at Branch who just shook his head. "I had a lot of fun today." She said to him.

Branch turned to look at her, "Good, but we're not done."

Poppy pulled her eyebrows together in confusion, "What do you mean?"

"Losers buy dinner, remember?" Branch replied with a devilish smile.

"We're going now?! Like this?!" Poppy gestured to her clothes sounding a bit alarmed. She was absolutely filthy covered in sweat, dirt, and paint. No way was she going into a restaurant like this.

"Aw come on Pinky, what's wrong with a little dirt and sweat?" Guy teased her.

Suki lightly smacked Guy on the chest then looked at Poppy, "No way are we going out like this girl. We're all gonna go home and shower before we get dinner."

Poppy breathed a sigh of relief, "Oh thank goodness. I so didn't want to go out like this."

"No worries, can you be ready in about an hour?" Suki asked the pink haired girl.

"Definitely." Poppy replied proudly putting her hands on her hips.

"Great, we'll see you guys then." Suki said to them as she and Guy headed towards his car.

"Come on." Branch said to her as he headed towards his car.

Poppy followed and got into the passenger seat. Branch began speaking as he pulled out of the parking lot and headed back to the city, "So I'll drop you off first and then come back and get you in an hour, okay?"

"Yeah, sounds good." Poppy replied. As much fun as she'd had today she still really wanted to get a shower and get the grime off of her.

The two were quiet for the rest of the drive, each lost in their own thoughts. Poppy figured if Branch wanted to talk he would, and she was actually kind of tired from the outdoor activity. She was hoping her second wind would hit before they went out again so she could have even more fun at dinner.

Before she knew it Branch had pulled up to her dorm and parked. "See you in an hour?" Branch asked.

Poppy nodded, "Yes."

Branch leaned over and his lips met hers for a brief kiss before Poppy got out of the car and headed to her room with a big smile on her face.

An hour later Poppy felt much better after a shower and putting on clean clothes. She put her pink hair up in her signature ponytail before putting on just a hint of make-up. Branch had seen her without make-up several times so she wasn't worried about getting too fancy for a dinner with their friends.

Thirty minutes later the four of them were headed into the semi-crowded bar and grill. It had red brick walls, hardwood floors, and contemporary lighting. All the lights and fixtures looked new as well as all the tables, chairs, and booths. The bar itself had several stools that were attached to the floor and the countertop looked to be real black marble. About seventy feet from the front door there was a decent sized stage set against the center of the back wall of the building that was empty now but looked like it could be used for bands or maybe comedians to perform on.

The group was seated at a booth in a corner by an overly friendly female waitress. Poppy got in first with Branch sitting beside her and Suki sat across from her while Guy faced Branch. The waitress handed them menus and took their drink orders before bouncing back to the kitchen to retrieve their drinks.

"So, what did you think of paintball Pinky?" Guy said to Poppy.

"It was so much fun! We seriously have to go again sometime." Poppy replied smiling wide, though she'd almost forgotten about the nickname.

Then Guy turned to Branch, "And I can't believe you really shot your own girlfriend, that's low man." He gave his friend a smirk.

Poppy saw Branch tense at the word 'girlfriend,' but quickly he recovered and crossed his arms, "She chose her side," Branch shrugged, "She was the last one standing, I had to take her out."

"You should have let her win." Suki commented.

"We would have been there for hours for her to even get a shot close to me, easier to end it." Branch replied nonchalantly.

"Hey! I could have hit you…..eventually." Poppy interjected.

Branch turned to face her with an eyebrow raised, "With the way Suki trained you to shoot, not a chance."

Poppy turned to look at Suki, trying but failing to hold in a giggle. Suki had her jaw dropped before scowling at Branch. She gave no reply but crossed her arms and looked away from all of them. Guy put his hand on her shoulder and muttered something to her that Poppy couldn't quite hear. But just a few seconds later Suki turned back to face the group with a smile on her face, it was as if she was never upset at all as the four continued talking.

Soon enough the bubbly waitress returned with their drinks and took their orders before skipping away again. And Poppy thought she was happy. "She's awful bubbly ain't she?" Suki said staring after the waitress.

Poppy turned to see Suki giving her a look and Poppy just smiled in return. The guys just looked at the girls confused, as if they didn't understand what the small interaction was about.

It wasn't long before they had their food brought to them and the four ate while they continued chatting. Poppy noticed Branch didn't talk nearly as much as the rest of them, but he seemed to listen. Every now and then he would reply when something was directed at him, but otherwise he stayed silent. He seemed to be enjoying himself though, he was more relaxed than Poppy had ever seen him. Branch almost looked….happy. It was odd when comparing him to his normal grumpy self. But Poppy liked this Branch, she hoped this side of him would come out more often.

After dinner Suki ran off as the other three sat in the booth. Poppy looked after her confused. Guy gave her a mischievous grin, "You're in trouble now Pinky."

Poppy furrowed her brow in confusion and turned to Branch for clarification. He looked at her and shook his head indicating that he didn't know what was being planned either.

"What do you mean?" She asked Guy when Suki ran back to the table.

"Come on girl!" Suki said rather excitedly to Poppy.

Branch got out of the booth to allow Poppy to get to her friend. "What is going on?" Poppy asked.

Suki began dragging Poppy towards the stage and that's when Poppy understood. She hadn't really noticed but sometime during their meal karaoke equipment had been set up. Poppy wasn't shy to sing, but she really hadn't sung in front of a crowd before.

"Suki, I've never sang karaoke before." Poppy told her shyly.

"Don't worry Poppy, we'll choose an easy song and you won't be up there alone. Besides you'll have to sing in front of lots of people for your music project." Suki told her encouragingly.

Poppy thought about it for a minute, then got a determined look on her face. She could do this, and Suki was right. Might as well get this small crowd out of the way before she had to get up in front of a huge audience. "Let's go." She said to Suki and the two of them walked confidently towards the stage.

The two picked a pop song to sing together, it wasn't really a duet but neither of them cared. Poppy hadn't heard Suki sing before, but she could definitely keep up with Poppy as the two followed the words on the screen.

As they finished the song people in the crowd cheered and clapped for the two girls. They made their way off the stage and heard several compliments like "That was awesome!" and "You two are great!". Finally, they made it back to their table where Poppy saw a look on Branch's face she'd never seen before. It was mix of awe and confusion. He slowly got up out of the booth and allowed her back to her seat near the wall.

"That was awesome Pinky! I didn't know you could sing like that." Guy said to her looking awed as well.

Poppy blushed a little, "Thanks Guy."

She turned to look at Branch as Guy began talking to Suki. He was still giving her that same look, but most of the confusion had left his face. "That was amazing." Branch whispered to her and grabbed one of her hands with his own under the table before giving her a small smile.

Poppy smiled back, she loved his smiles. He always looked so much younger when he smiled, closer to her own age. She found herself unable to look away from his sky-blue eyes as the two continued to stare at each other, neither one wanted to look away. Branch started to lean towards her, and that was the moment she finally turned away. It's not that she didn't want to kiss him, but they were in public and she knew how he felt about that. She found that Suki and Guy were looking at the both of them with smiles on their faces like they were waiting for something to happen. Poppy saw Branch look up too and he cleared his throat from embarrassment, but he didn't let go of Poppy's hand. Soon enough Guy and Suki turned back to their own conversation and Branch gave a slight nod of his head towards the door indicating they should go. Poppy gave a small nod in return.

"Well guys, it's been fun, but we're gonna go." Branch said, mostly towards Guy as he and Poppy exited the booth. He quickly pulled a twenty from his wallet and set it on the table. Poppy looked at it in confusion, she thought her and Suki were supposed to pay.

"Alright man, it's been fun." Guy said to the couple.

"We'll have to do this again sometime." Suki said to them as they started to walk away.

Poppy gave them a wave and said, "Bye!" as she scampered off behind Branch.

Branch suddenly stopped and looked back at the table. This took Poppy by surprise as she nearly ran into him. After a few seconds she composed herself and she looked back to Guy smiling at Branch devilishly. Branch flipped him off, grabbed Poppy's hand and dragged her out the door.

"What was that all about?" Poppy asked as they got into Branch's car.

Branch sighed, "Just GD being…well, GD."

Poppy nodded in understanding, knowing Guy could be eccentric. She then turned to face Branch only to see he was staring intently at her. Before she could ask why he reached over and put a hand on each side of her face and pulled her to him as he leaned towards her. When his lips touched her's, a fire ignited inside her. This kiss was so much more intense than the previous ones. She reached a hand up to run it though his hair as his tongue caressed her bottom lip. Poppy let out a light gasp and Branch promptly pulled away. Her hand dropped to her lap as his hands left her face.

After a few breaths Poppy opened her eyes to find Branch about a foot from her.

"Sorry." He said almost inaudibly she barely heard.

Poppy smiled wide, "Don't be sorry, that was amazing."

Branch gave her a small smile in return and started the car. He pulled out of the parking lot and headed back towards Poppy's dorm. Poppy thought about that kiss the whole car ride. It gave her goose bumps just remembering it. Every now and then she would steal a glance at Branch. He looked like he was lost in his own thoughts too.

They pulled up in front of her dorm before Poppy knew it. She unclicked her seatbelt and turned to face Branch to find him already looking at her. Those eyes always made her melt a little, but now they looked like they were smoldering. "I had a really great time tonight." She said to him.

"Me too, maybe next time we could actually do something alone." Branch replied.

Poppy giggled, "Yeah, but they were still a ton of fun."

"Yeah, as much as I hate to admit it they were fun." He gave a small smile.

Poppy then leaned towards him and gave him a small kiss before saying, "Good night Branch."

"Good night Poppy." He said to her as she got out of the car. She gave him a small wave before walking inside and up to her room.

After closing her door Poppy threw herself on her bed on her back and sighed contently. She had such a great day. And that kiss, oh that kiss was amazing. It was probably the best kiss she's ever had, and she's never felt that fire before. She could tell Branch had wanted things to go further than they did with that look in his eyes, but she just wasn't ready. Hopefully one day she would be, but maybe he'd just be patient with her until then. He didn't seem like the pushy type, especially when it came to her. But overall it was a fantastic day, maybe the best day ever.

* * *

 **So I know this first date is not how most people would have written it, but I wanted to be a bit different. It wasn't the intimate (I mean more personal and just the two of them, nothing dirty lol) date I had orginally planned, I had a very difficult time with this chapter. Oh, and also I am so not good at kissing scenes so sorry if it was disappointing or not up to par with some of the better authors on here. Anyway, I hope it was at least enjoyable to read, as always leave reviews :)**


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N: Hey guys! I got this chapter up faster than I thought, thank you for all the reviews.**

Link Fangirl01: I'm glad you enjoyed it, and I loved reading your review.

TDICELEBRITY14 : Thank you for your review, it took a while but their relationship is finally going somewhere lol.

mlpfanceline1 : I'm glad you like reading it, and Branch's reactions are one of my favorite parts to write.

Shiego627: Haha, yes Branch did get a bit heated, he is a guy after all no matter how much he hides his emotions.

Guest: Here's the next update! Come on now, there's tons of better fanfictions on here, I'm just doing my best and I'm happy to hear you really like it.

Warning: Slight language ahead...

* * *

Chapter 15

Branch woke up Sunday morning, early as always. As he got out of bed he remembered his date idea and decided he should text GD to see if this would be a good idea. After all he had been on a lot more dates than Branch and he knew Poppy better. He headed to the kitchen and grabbed his coffee before fetching his phone from his discarded jeans from the night before. He knew GD probably wouldn't be awake yet, but he sent a text anyway, knowing his friend would see it as soon as he got up.

'Hey, need advice. Thinking paintball as first date with Poppy, thoughts?'

He hit send and figured it would be a few hours before he got a reply but not five minutes his phone chimed indicating a message. Sure enough it was GD.

'Finally man! Did you win her over with your sparking personality? :P'

'Ha ha, answer my question.'

'Geez someone's not a morning person. Fine, sounds like a great idea. Let's make it a double date!'

Branch facepalmed himself, he should have seen that coming. As much as he wanted some alone time with Poppy, maybe some company this time around wouldn't be so bad. It would definitely make paintball more interesting.

'Fine, but just this once.'

'Awesome! Dinner after?'

 _Oh great,_ Branch thought to himself, _I'm getting to be too soft._ Shaking his head and sighing, he typed his reply.

'Alright whatever. Meet us for paintball at 1, don't make me regret this.'

'You got it man.'

Branch put his phone down, he really hoped this wasn't a bad idea. Hopefully Poppy wouldn't be too upset about GD and Suki coming along. But he knew if he told GD no he would wait for them all day to show up to play paintball and then not leave them alone until he could play. It seemed easier this way, and he knew GD meant well. He'd been telling Branch from the start to go after Poppy, even when he thought it'd been wrong. But now he couldn't stop himself from thinking about her and just wanted to spend time with her. A girl had never gotten under his skin like this before, and maybe for once he could be happy. Whenever she was around his spirits seem to lift, and he could forget his past just for a little while. Even his grandma might be proud, he hadn't been thinking about her in a regretful or guilty way lately but more just remembering the good times with her. He guessed Poppy tended to bring out his optimistic side.

Since it was still too early to call Poppy, Branch decided to go for a run. He'd been lax on his exercising lately, so it was time he got back with it. He finished his coffee then got dressed quickly in running pants, sneakers, an old t-shirt and a hoodie since it was still cool outside.

After he'd gotten back from his run and showered, Branch figured it was time he called Poppy. Her number was already on speed dial in his phone and she answered on the second ring.

"Hello?" She sounded a tad sleepy still.

"Hey." He replied, happy to hear her voice.

"Oh hi Branch! Good morning." There was her upbeat tone.

"Good morning, you ready for today?"

"Of course! What time should I be ready?"

"Be ready about 12:30, and wear some clothes you don't mind getting dirty."

"Okay, see you at 12:30!" She was obviously very excited about this.

"Alright, bye Poppy."

"Bye Branch."

Branch ended the call, not realizing he had been smiling since the second he'd heard her voice come across the speaker. He couldn't get over how much he liked this girl, first time for everything he guessed.

At almost 12:30 exactly Branch pulled up in front of Poppy's dorm and sent her a quick text letting her know he was there. He didn't have to wait long before the pink-haired girl exited the building and strode towards his car. Even with her older worn clothes she was still beautiful, and she had her hair up as always and a big smile on her face.

"Hi!" She said as she practically hopped onto the passenger seat.

Branch could feel her excitement and he let a small smile form on his lips, "Hi."

As Poppy put on her seatbelt she asked, "So, what are we doing today?"

"It's a surprise." Branch replied as he began driving.

It was a good day for paintball. The temperature was warmer than normal for this time of year, and there was a slight breeze. The two stayed quiet for most of the drive. Branch could see Poppy looking out the window, as if she had never seen the city before as he drove through it. After they exited the city there were fields on either side of the highway for miles.

"Where are we going?" He heard Poppy ask.

Giving her a quick glance, he replied, "You'll see, we're almost there."

In just a few minutes Branch was pulling into the parking lot in front a big metal building that had chain-link fence coming off the sides that extended both way for about a quarter mile. GD and Suki were in front of the building chatting obviously waiting for them. The two noticed Branch and Poppy and waved, and Poppy waved in smiled in return. Then she turned to Branch, looking confused.

"Um, not that it really bothers me, but what are Guy and Suki doing here? I thought this was a date."

Branch sighed and looked at her, "It is, but those two invited themselves after I asked GD if this would be a good idea for you. He's been bugging me for a double date since the day we met, I was hoping they wouldn't actually show up."

"Oh okay, well I'm sure we can all have fun together." Poppy didn't sound bothered by the other two being here. Branch felt relieved, he didn't figure she would have been upset but he'd already messed up a lot when it came to her and didn't want this to be on that list as well.

"You ready?" he asked her.

"Yes!" Poppy replied excitedly.

The two then exited the car and Poppy ran up to her friends and gave them both a hug. "Hey guys!" Poppy said enthusiastically.

"Hey Poppy, so you finally got Branch here to go out with you? Only took forever." GD said to her with a big smile on his face.

"Shut up." Branch snapped back. He wanted to smack that stupid smile off GD's face.

"Yeah hope you guys don't mind that we tagged along, but we couldn't let Branch take you to paintball your first time without us." Suki said, slightly guilty.

"That's what we're doing, I've never played before, but it's always looked fun." Poppy looked down at her old jeans and t-shirt, "So that's why you wanted to me to wear these clothes."

Branch nodded, "I figured you'd never played, but the rest of us have."

"I'm so excited!" Poppy said excitedly to Suki as the group headed into the building. Once inside the guys went to get the gear while the girls stayed behind.

Branch and GD went up to the counter to get their gear. The clerk knew the two boys and asked, "The usual?"

Branch nodded, "But add one more to list, we've got another player today."

The clerk looked to the two girls and smiled knowingly at Branch, "She's a pretty one." Then he headed off to get their protective gear and guns leaving GD and Branch at the counter.

"So really, how did yesterday go?" GD asked Branch seriously, seeming genuinely concerned.

Branch sighed, he didn't want to give too much away but he knew GD wouldn't let it go and there was no escaping him. "Actually, it went well. We talked it out, I apologized being an ass, we kissed, and now we're here." He'd regretted the words the second they left his mouth.

GD straightened up from leaning on the counter, "Y'all kissed?!"

"Dude not so loud." Branch chastised his friend, hoping no one overheard.

"Oh, sorry man." His friend quickly apologized, "I can't believe you finally kissed that girl, it's about time."

Branch just rolled his eyes, "This is why I don't tell you anything."

"Come on now, you know I care."

"I know, but no more questions. I've told you enough as it is."

GD put his hands up in surrender, "Okay, okay. I'll just get the details from Poppy." GD gave him a smirk.

Branch huffed in exasperation. He knew Poppy probably wouldn't say much, she hadn't yet when it came to them. But if she did oh well. It wasn't like his life would end if she did, and honestly he wouldn't really be upset. Girls liked to talk about this stuff more, whereas he didn't feel the need to talk about it at all. He and Poppy had figured it out, and that's all that mattered to him.

The clerk finally came back with all their gear and the guys headed back to their girls. They heard the girls talking as they got closer to them. Branch heard Poppy yell, "Girls against boys!"

Suki then held her hand in the air for a high-five and said, "That's my girl! I can show you everything you need to know about taking the guys down."

"You girls are going down." Guy said to them as he and Branch returned. "We're not gonna take it easy on you just because your girls."

Suki just looked at Guy amused with her hands on her hips, "Bring it on."

Poppy looked at Branch, "Sorry Branch, but you guys are going down."

Branch gave a slightly wicked smile, "In your dreams Poppy."

"Losers buy dinner!" Suki shouted throwing her hands in the air.

Branch helped Poppy into her protective gear before they entered the field and the two teams ran their separate ways.

* * *

The group exited the building after their strenuous game of paintball. All of them were dirty, sweaty, and had paint on them. Well, except for Branch.

"OMG you guys that was so much fun!" Poppy exclaimed excitedly.

Even though she had lost Poppy was still so happy. Branch had taken her out when they were the last two standing. Suki had obviously shown her how to hide properly but Branch had years of practice on her. The guys had lost the two girls a few times, but GD had taken down Suki after the first half hour. It wasn't long before Poppy had shot GD, avenging her friend. But she was no match for Branch, and he knew it. She had tried hiding behind a tree, but what she hadn't seen was a hole in the vertical piece of tin Branch had been behind. Once she had come out from behind the tree just enough he took his shot and hit her just below the chest. He put his paintball gun up against his shoulder and strutted out victoriously with a big smile on his face. Branch knew he would get grief from GD and Suki for shooting her, but he wasn't just going to let her win either. Poppy wouldn't have liked that anyway, she seemed the type that would have wanted to win fairly, not just have the game handed to her.

"Yeah, but we lost." Suki said, sounding defeated.

GD put his arm around her, "Hey babe it's okay, now you and Poppy get to buy me and Branch dinner."

Suki swatted his arm away playfully and the two laughed. Poppy smiled at the happy couple and looked at Branch who just shook his head. "I had a lot of fun today." She said to him.

Branch turned to look at her, "Good, but we're not done."

Poppy pulled her eyebrows together in confusion, "What do you mean?"

"Losers buy dinner, remember?" Branch replied with a devilish smile.

"We're going now?! Like this?!" Poppy gestured to her clothes sounding a bit alarmed.

"Aw come on Pinky, what's wrong with a little dirt and sweat?" GD teased her.

Suki lightly smacked GD on the chest then looked at Poppy, "No way are we going out like this girl. We're all gonna go home and shower before we get dinner."

Poppy breathed a sigh of relief, "Oh thank goodness. I so didn't want to go out like this."

"No worries, can you be ready in about an hour?" Suki asked the pink haired girl.

"Definitely." Poppy replied proudly putting her hands on her hips.

"Great, we'll see you guys then." Suki said to them as she and Guy headed towards his car.

"Come on." Branch said to her as he headed towards his car.

Poppy followed and got into the passenger seat. Branch began speaking as he pulled out of the parking lot and headed back to the city, "So I'll drop you off first and then come back and get you in an hour, okay?"

"Yeah, sounds good." Poppy replied.

Again, the two remained quiet as they headed back into the city. This seemed to be their thing, neither one spoke as if lost in their own thoughts. Branch was just glad that Poppy had had fun. She'd actually been pretty good out there on the field for her first time. She just needed some more practice and she might even give Branch a run for his money. He'd only been taken out a handful of times in the several years he'd been playing.

Before he knew it, he was parking in front of Poppy's dorm. "See you in an hour?" He asked her.

Poppy nodded, "Yes."

Branch leaned over and his lips met hers for a brief kiss before Poppy got out of the car and headed into her building. He drove back to his apartment and got cleaned up before heading back to pick up his girl.

GD texted him the place he needed to meet them before he picked up Poppy. It wasn't hard to find, not his usual scene but a decent place over all. Since it was a Sunday evening the bar and grill wasn't very crowded. The group was seated at a booth in a corner by a very cheerful female waitress. Poppy got in first with Branch sitting beside her and Suki sat across from her while GD faced Branch. The waitress handed them menus and took their drink orders before bouncing back to the kitchen to retrieve their drinks.

"So, what did you think of paintball Pinky?" GD said to Poppy.

"It was so much fun! We seriously have to go again sometime." Poppy replied smiling wide. Branch still wasn't sold on the nickname, but he would let GD have his fun.

Then GD turned to Branch, "And I can't believe you really shot your own girlfriend, that's low man." He gave his friend a smirk.

Branch tensed at the word 'girlfriend.' He and Poppy hadn't discussed this, and he didn't want to assume anything. However, she didn't appear to be bothered by GD throwing the word around so for now he would just roll with it. His feelings for her were well within the range for that label. Trying to seem unfazed by it he crossed his arms and replied, "She chose her side," he shrugged before continuing, "She was the last one standing, I had to take her out."

"You should have let her win." Suki said to him with a disapproving look.

"We would have been there for hours for her to even get a shot close to me, easier to end it." Branch replied, trying to sound nonchalant about it.

"Hey! I could have hit you…eventually." Poppy interjected, looking slightly unsure. Actually she probably could have, but he didn't want her to know that yet.

Branch turned to face her with an eyebrow raised, "With the way Suki trained you to shoot, not a chance."

Poppy turned to face Suki, trying but failing to hold in a google. Suki looked shocked that her friend would laugh at her, then faced Branch and scowled. She didn't reply but crossed her arms and then refused to look at any of them. Branch had seen this act before and knew Suki was just feigning being insulted. GD said something to her that even he couldn't hear, and just like that it was like she was never upset. Suki turned back to the group smiling and began chatting again.

Soon enough the waitress returned with their drinks and took their orders before skipping away again. "She's awfully bubbly ain't she?" Suki asked, looking after the waitress.

Branch had no reply for this, honestly he wasn't paying much attention to the girl. He saw the girls smiling at each other and looked at GD for clarification, but GD looked just as confused as he was. Sometimes no matter how much he observed, even he was at a loss for how girls thought and communicated.

It wasn't long before they had their food brought to them and the conversation continued to flow as they ate. Branch really didn't talk much, he just didn't have as much to say and preferred to listen. And he was just content seeing Poppy smiling and happy. He would answer questions though if something was directed at him. Amazingly, he was having a good time. Even though GD and Suki liked to push his buttons, tonight they were being good.

After dinner Suki ran off as the other three sat in the booth. Poppy looked after her confused. GD gave her a mischievous grin, "You're in trouble now Pinky?"

Poppy furrowed her brow in confusion and turned to Branch for clarification. He looked at her and shook his head indicating that he didn't know what was being planned either. He really had no idea what they were planning.

"What do you mean?" She asked GD when Suki ran back to the table.

"Come on girl!" Suki said rather excitedly to Poppy.

Branch got out of the booth to allow Poppy to get to her friend. "What is going on?" Poppy asked.

He sat back down and watched as Suki dragged Poppy towards the stage. Branch finally understood what was going on. There was karaoke equipment on the stage. Poppy had told him she could sing, and he was actually going to get to hear it. He'd heard Suki sing, and she was pretty good.

GD turned to face him, "Have you ever heard Poppy sing before?"

Branch shook his head, "No, have you?"

"No, but she says she can." GD replied and turned back to face the stage.

The two sat in silence as the girls picked a song. When it came on Branch recognized it from the radio, and it certainly wasn't a duet but the girls didn't seem to care. Maybe Suki was just trying to make Poppy feel more comfortable on stage. As soon as Poppy started singing Branch was enraptured. She had a beautiful voice, even better then Suki. He couldn't believe she'd been hiding that voice, even from her friends. Branch didn't really even know what to think, and he was sure his jaw had dropped.

After the song was over, he couldn't even clap he was so mesmerized. He could listen to that voice all day. From beyond his stupor he could hear people from the crowd throwing the girls compliments. Both girls had huge smiles on their faces as they headed back towards the booth. Branch got up still in his daze and allowed Poppy back in the booth.

"That was awesome Pinky! I didn't know you could sing like that." GD said to her looking awed as well.

Poppy blushed a little, "Thanks Guy."

She turned to look at Branch when GD started talking to Suki. He knew he still had that dumbfounded look on his face and tried to shake it off. Finally he was able to say, "That was amazing." He grabbed her hand under the table and gave her a small smile. Poppy smiled back and two couldn't seem to look away from each other. Branch felt himself start to lean towards her, as if to kiss to her. But suddenly she turned away and Branch realized what he'd been doing. He was so thankful she'd been in the right state of mind. He was not doing this in public, even holding hands for him was a big step.

He then turned to see their audience and found their friends staring at them as if waiting for something to happen. Branch cleared is throat and tried to keep a neutral look on his face hoping he wasn't blushing. It wasn't long before the other two realized nothing was going to happen and they began talking to each again. He wanted to get out of here and have some time alone with Poppy before he had to take her home. He looked at Poppy and gave a slight nod of his towards the door indicating he wanted to leave. Poppy nodded in return.

"Well guys, it's been fun, but we're gonna go." Branch said, mostly towards GD as he and Poppy exited the booth. He quickly pulled a twenty from his wallet and set it on the table. He knew they had said that losers buy dinner, but his morals surpassed that and there was no way he was letting Poppy pay for dinner.

"Alright man, it's been fun." GD said to the couple.

"We'll have to do this again sometime." Suki said to them as they started to walk away.

Poppy gave them a wave and said, "Bye!" as she followed Branch.

Branch heard his name and suddenly stopped and turned around. He felt Poppy bump into him but was looking at GD. He saw him mouth, 'Use protection.' Before giving Branch a big smile. Branch wanted to give his friend a few choice words but with Poppy here he decided against it. Instead he flipped his friend off, grabbed Poppy's hand, and dragged her out the door.

"What was that all about?" Poppy asked as they got into Branch's car.

Branch sighed, "Just GD being…well, GD."

He saw Poppy nod, as if she knew exactly what he was talking about. But he was glad she hadn't seen the whole exchange. All she needed was to be embarrassed by GD's inappropriate comment. Of course he didn't need to heed his friend's 'advice' because nothing like that was going to happen anyway. But, there was still something else he wanted to do. He turned to look at Poppy, and when she turned to face him that was all he needed. Branch reached over and put a hand on either side of her face before pulling her to him. Their lips touched and he felt the connection instantly. It was like nothing he'd ever felt before. He'd heard of people experiencing fireworks when they kissed, but this was so much more than that. After hearing her performance earlier, and having spent most of the day with her, something had awaked inside of him. And this kiss was so much more passionate and intense than the previous ones. It was as if a fire ignited inside of him and he wanted more. Taking a chance, he allowed his tongue to caress her bottom lip as Poppy ran a hand through his hair. But when he heard her gasp he pulled away. He dropped his hands instantly and her hand dropped back to her lap. As much as he wanted more he had to stop himself. He just hoped she didn't think it was anything she did.

They both sat for a few minutes to catch their breath when Branch said, "Sorry." Very quietly.

"Don't be sorry, that was amazing." He turned to see Poppy smiling at him.

Branch returned her smile and proceeded to start the car and head back to her dorm. He really did want to spend more time with her, but this was the best option for both of them. After that kiss, he wasn't sure how much control he had. And no way was he screwing this up. Poppy was one of the best things that had happened to him and he didn't want to lose her.

They pulled up in front of her dorm and stopped the car. Poppy unbuckled her seatbelt and turned to face Branch who was watching her. "I had a really great time tonight." She said to him.

"Me too, maybe next time we could actually do something alone." Branch replied. He had enjoyed his friends' company though, they were near as annoying as he thought they'd be.

Poppy giggled, "Yeah they were still a ton of fun."

Branch gave a small smile, "Yeah, as much as I hate to admit it they were fun."

Poppy leaned towards him and gave him a small kiss before saying, "Good night Branch."

"Good night Poppy." Branch said to her as she got out of the car. She gave him a small wave before disappearing into the building.

Branch drove back home. As he was getting ready for bed he looked at himself in the mirror, "What is this girl doing to you Branch?" He asked himself before shutting off the light and going to his room.


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N: Hey guys! Sorry it's been so long since the last update, I've been busy. I love and appreciate all my followers and reviews. Keep em' coming!**

jordybug4: I'm working on that, maybe we'll see in a future chapter.

Missyonnidee: Thank you for the review, I really appreciate it and hope you continue to like it.

 **Warning: Now guys, this chapter has a dark spot. Please if you are under the age of 13, please be cautious. I hope noone gets too upset. Adult content WARNING!**

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Chapter 16

Poppy and Branch had been officially going out for about a month now and Poppy's big performance was only a few weeks ago. She, Branch, and Guy had been working on her song. Together, her and Branch had been working on the lyrics while Guy was helping with the actual performance – where she should stand on stage, dance moves, etc. But out of nowhere Guy brought up an idea to her.

Poppy and Branch had been having lunch as usual when Guy sat down next to Branch.

"Hey guys, what's up?" Guy said as he sat, greeting his friends.

"Hi Guy! We're just having lunch." Poppy replied enthusiastically.

Branch apparently didn't feel the need to reply, but instead gave his friend a nod in acknowledgement.

"So Pinky," Guy started putting his hands together on the table and leaning towards his pink-haired friend, "I have an idea for your performance."

"What is it?" She asked curiously.

"What if we make it a duet? I've got a kid in class who's having trouble, but he can really sing. I think with your song it would sound fantastic." Guy looked to her for an answer.

Poppy wasn't really sure what to say. She always thought she would do a solo. But maybe she could give this a try.

"Um, we can try. I was going to practice later today, if he wants to come we can see how it goes." Poppy wasn't 100% on this idea, but Guy had been helping her a lot. It was only fair she try and help him in return, even it was for another student.

Guy beamed, "Awesome, thanks Poppy. And don't worry, if it doesn't work I'll find something else for him."

Poppy smiled back, feeling better that at least if this didn't work out she wasn't stuck singing a duet with someone who sucked, "You're welcome. Um, I think I'm practicing around 5. And that'll give me and Branch time to figure out the lyrics for a duet."

Guy got up to leave, "Alright, see you then Pinky. Branch, lovely talking with you as always."

Poppy could see Branch's slight scowl before he said, "Bye GD."

"I'm not sure this is a good idea." Branch said to Poppy as the two continued their lunch.

"Oh Branch, I'm sure it'll be fine. Let's give it a chance, and if it doesn't work all we did was waste some time. I already know the song, and I've still got a few weeks to figure out how to move on stage. Now, let's rewrite the lyrics so two people can sing it." Poppy smiled at Branch, knowing he would cave to her as always.

Branch huffed in defeat. "Fine, but don't say I didn't warn you."

With that they proceeded to write the song as a duet rather than a solo. It didn't take long before the two were done with the song and their lunch and exited the cafeteria. Branch walked Poppy to her class and gave her a quick kiss before heading to his own class.

"Meet me in the music hall at 5?" Poppy asked before he walked away.

He gave a quick nod and said, "I'll be there Pops." And then he walked away.

Poppy headed into the building smiling. Even though they'd only been together a month so much had changed. Branch wasn't nearly as grumpy as he normally was, he still had his moments but was much more patient. He'd been able to have lunch with her friends, a few times where Satin and Chenille were present. That's when things got awkward, but she'd ignored it. She still needed to find out what happened there, but that was a thought for another day. The two had been on several dates too, this time without Guy and Suki. She loved her friends, but Branch was more open and talkative with just her around. They'd been hiking, been on a picnic, been to the movies, they'd even played video games together. Poppy wasn't as good as Branch at it, but she'd still had fun playing. One time, Branch had even driven her around town and basically given her a tour and commenting on some of the buildings in the city that were architecturally significant. Poppy had tried to understand what he was talking about, and even though it really did bore her she nodded and smiled emphatically because it seemed to be important to him. He'd even began helping her with her homework and her studying. She had a hard time sitting still, but he was able to get her to focus long enough to study. But her reward was almost always one of Branch's home cooked meals, which was one of her favorite things. He could really cook, whereas she'd put her culinary skills on the backburner and now her best meal was cereal or something in the microwave. Branch had offered to teach her, but she preferred to just watch him. Of course, they talked too. She'd gotten Branch to open up a bit more about his past and he'd told her about his parents and grandmother. Poppy could see it was hard for him to tell her, but she'd been so happy he did. It definitely made it easier to see why he didn't let anyone in. When you'd lost so many people you loved, it made it easier to push people away so you wouldn't get hurt again. Poppy, however, hadn't been able to be as forthcoming as Branch about her past. There were only a few people who knew what happened, a few who knew the truth, and several that believed her ex's side of the story.

Poppy's train of thought was interrupted by the professor starting his lecture and she pulled out her notebook to keep up.

At about a quarter to five Poppy walked into the performance auditorium of the music hall. She walked towards the front where she saw Guy talking to a boy she didn't know. _This must be Aspen,_ Poppy thought to herself. The boy was about Guy's height, which made him a few inches shorter than Branch but still about six inches taller than Poppy. He had short sandy brown hair, green eyes, and a lanky build. He was cute, but his looks didn't compare to Branch's.

The two stopped talking and turned to face her as Poppy walked up.

"Hi." Poppy said smiling.

"Hey Pinky, this is Aspen." Guy said gesturing towards the boy.

Aspen reached out his hand and gave Poppy a smile, "Hi."

Poppy shook his hand in return, "Hi, nice to meet you. My name is actually Poppy."

Poppy then proceeded to set her bag in a chair near her and saw Branch come into the auditorium. He walked to her and stopped when he reached the trio. She could see him scanning Aspen as if he was a threat. Poppy rolled her eyes as the testosterone rolled off Branch.

"Branch, this is Aspen." Guy introduced the two.

Aspen reached his hand out to Branch, "Hi." He gave Branch a small smile, there was nothing threatening about him.

Branch hesitantly shook Aspen's hand and said, "Hey," before stepping back near Poppy.

Before Branch could stare a hole through the guy, Poppy reached into her bag to grab the lyrics for Aspen. She handed a sheet to him, "Here's the lyrics. It's never been sang as a duet before so I'm not sure how it'll sound but let's give it a shot." She pointed to the first set of lyrics, "My part is highlighted in pink, and your part," She pointed to the next set of lyrics, "Your part is highlighted in blue. This part in yellow is both of us. Any questions?"

Aspen shook his head in understanding whilst reading over the lyrics, "I think I got it. These are some really good lyrics, did you write this?"

Poppy smiled, "Actually Branch and I wrote it together."

"Well, shall we?" He waved a hand towards the stage and gestured for her to lead the way.

She saw Branch sit near Guy and he didn't exactly look happy. Apparently, Branch had a jealous side. Poppy lead the way onto the stage and headed to one mic stand while Aspen headed to the other. The band was set up behind them and she nodded at them to start. Poppy sang her part hoping Aspen was good at reading music and could hear how the verses were supposed to sound. She closed her eyes as her part ended and his part began. To her surprise, Aspen got the melody right. He was off on a few notes, but for singing it with no practice he was doing great. He had a great voice too, like someone you'd hear on the pop station, but without as many high notes. When it got to their duet section, Aspen followed Poppy's lead and kept up with her the whole time.

After the song was over, Poppy looked over to Aspen slightly out of breath and smiling. She heard clapping and looked out to see GD standing and applauding them. Branch stood beside him, giving a slow clap as well. He still didn't look very happy, but at the moment she didn't care. She actually had fun singing with Aspen. Branch had had his chance to sing with her, but he'd said no.

Poppy walked over to Aspen who was giving her a big smile, "That was great." She said to him.

"Thanks, you have a fantastic voice." Aspen replied, looking impressed.

Poppy blushed slightly, and hoped Branch didn't see it, "Me? I had no idea you'd be able to sing like that. I really never saw myself doing a duet, but I think this will make a great performance."

Aspen's eyebrows lifted in surprise, "So you'll let me sing with you?"

Poppy nodded, "Definitely. Can you dance too?"

Aspen let out a shaky laugh, "My dancing could use some work, but if we have a choregraphed routine I should be fine."

"Great! Guy has been helping me with that, I'll have him make it easy since we've only got a few weeks left." Poppy said.

"Sounds good, thank you so much Poppy." Aspen replied stepping closer to her, "You have no idea how much this means to me, if I can ever repay the favor please let me know."

Before Poppy could reply Guy joined them on stage, whereas Branch had decided to remain in his seat.

"That was awesome guys!" Guy nearly yelled. "I think this will get you both noticed by Cooper. Now we just need to add some dance moves."

"Can we make it simple Guy? We don't have a lot of time to practice." Poppy pleaded.

Guy crossed his arms and shrugged, "Fine, I'll keep it 'simple.' How's your dancing Aspen?"

Aspen shrugged too, "Okay, but let's not try any fancy dance moves. All I need is to embarrass myself on stage."

All three let out a small laugh before Guy said, "Alright, I'll come up with something. Now, how about you guys sing that song a few more times and then we'll call it quits for today."

Aspen and Poppy both nodded, then proceeded with their practice.

When practice was over both Poppy and Aspen walked off stage and to Guy and Branch who were waiting for them. Branch no longer had a scowl on his face, and he looked a tad less unhappy than he had when practice had started.

"Guys, that sounded great." Guy said to them, "Tomorrow we'll practice again and add some dance moves." He gave them a broad smile.

Poppy smiled in return, "Sounds good, same time?"

Guy nodded, "Yep."

Aspen started talking to Guy and Poppy grabbed her bag from the nearby chair before turning to Branch, "Ready?" She asked him.

He grabbed her hand and gave a her a small smile, "Let's go." They walked out of the building hand in hand towards Poppy's dorm.

As they walked Poppy asked, "So what did you think Branch? I could tell you didn't think highly of Aspen."

She heard Branch sigh before he replied, "Yeah, there was just something about him that got under my skin. But it did sound pretty good, and I know this performance means a lot to you so I'm not going to do anything, but I don't have to like him."

"So, you think it sounded good?" Poppy had heard everything Branch told her but decided to just focus on the positive.

Branch stopped beside her and pulled Poppy to him so they were facing each other and he grabbed both her hands with his. Poppy met his gaze as he said, "Poppy, it sounded amazing. I really mean it." Then he leaned down and planted a chaste kiss on her lips.

Poppy blushed a bit, "Aw, thanks Branch." The two then began walking again. Soon enough they reached Poppy's dorm and she turned to face Branch, "Dinner tonight, right?"

Branch nodded, "How does 7 sound?"

Poppy smiled, "Sounds great."

The two shared a kiss before saying their goodbyes. Poppy headed into her dorm as she watched Branch walk away. After Poppy entered her room she pulled her phone out of her bag so she could call her father and tell him about the change in her performance. She was actually kind of excited to be singing with Aspen, it was something completely new for her.

As soon as she looked at her phone she froze. It just took a moment's hesitation before she threw her phone in her bag and ran out the door, locking it behind her. Poppy tried to control her breathing as she forced herself to walk, albeit a bit fast, to her car. She finally reached it and unlocked her car quickly before climbing into the driver's seat and locking her doors before turning on the car and pulling out the parking lot. Poppy had to make herself drive the speed limit as she headed to Branch's apartment. Her knuckles were white from how hard she was gripping the steering wheel. She continuously checked her rearview and side mirrors to make sure she wasn't being followed. It looked like she was safe, but she wouldn't feel better until she got to Branch's.

Finally, she reached Branch's apartment. Poppy forced herself to remain calm, she grabbed her bag and locked her car like she always would and headed towards the apartment door. She knocked on the door and looked around nervously as she waited for Branch to open the door. Thirty seconds had gone by when the door opened and she saw Branch looking a bit confused.

"Poppy, what are you doing here?" He asked questioningly. "I thought we were having dinner at 7."

"I know, I'll explain but can I please come in?" Poppy asked.

Branch quickly moved to the side and held the door for her, "Sure, come on in."

Poppy walked into the living room and thought about sitting down on the couch, but she knew she wouldn't be able to sit still. Instead she dropped her bag on the couch and pulled out her phone. Quickly she handed it to Branch, who had come up behind her after closing the door. She could see anger quickly make its way into his eyes and on his face. He looked back at her after reading the message.

"What the hell does this mean?! Is this guy stalking you?" She could hear how angry Branch was.

"I don't know Branch, but I'm scared. He's supposed to stay away from me, but obviously he's not or he wouldn't know about you." Poppy wasn't sure how her ex had known any details about her new life, but she didn't know what to do about it and that scared her.

He handed her back her phone before turning away and rubbing his hands down his face before turning back to her, "We're going to do something about this."

"What are we going to do about it Branch? I don't know how he's even spying on me." Poppy replied.

"Can't you tell the police?" Branch asked.

Poppy shook her head, "I don't want to get the police involved. Please don't make me. But do you care if I spend the night here? Just for tonight, I don't want to be alone."

"Fine, no police. And you're staying here until we figure this out. In fact, I don't want you alone at all. I want someone to be with you at all times. When you're at school, if I can't walk you to class one of your friends will." Branch was all seriousness.

Poppy didn't know this was going to be Branch's reaction. She knew he was going to be pissed but didn't expect this. "Aren't you being a little over protective Branch?"

Branch put his hands on her shoulders and looked into her eyes and said, "No, I'll do anything to keep you safe. If that's being overprotective, that's fine but I won't let anything happen to you." He then pulled her to his chest and wrapped his arms around her in an embrace. Poppy put her arms around him as well. She loved how much he truly seemed to care about her. Hell, she just loved him. But she couldn't tell him that, he would probably run for the hills. She then heard his voice whispering in her ear, "I don't know what I'd do without you Poppy."

Poppy didn't know what to say in return, so she just squeezed Branch tighter. After a minute the two finally let go of each other. Branch gave Poppy a genuine smile and she grinned widely in return, but the smiles didn't last long. "Now, are you going to tell me what happened with this guy?"

This made Poppy freeze. She had hoped he wouldn't ask this again, she knew she needed to tell him but it wasn't something she really wanted to talk about. Poppy sat down on the couch behind her and put her face in her hands, not wanting Branch to see her like this. She was fighting to stop the tears from coming out, but it wouldn't be long before they would be streaming down her face. She felt Branch sit down beside her. "Poppy, please don't cry. I just want to help."

She looked up to see him looking at her with concern. "I know Branch, I just don't know that I'm ready."

Branch nodded, and Poppy looked away again. There was several minutes of silence between the two when she finally heard Branch begin to talk, "Satin tried to pin criminal charges on me."

Poppy's head shot up at this, "What?" She'd heard the twins talk bad about Branch before, but what had he done? After what she'd seen from him, he was not a criminal. He could have a bad attitude and be mean sometimes, but nothing illegal.

"I was at a party with GD last fall. He'd begged me to go with him, I didn't really want to go but I went anyway. I started drinking, pretty hard, and Satin found me by myself. GD had gone off to dance with Suki. By that time I was drunk, and she was too. One thing led to another and she ended up coming home with me."

It was at this point that Poppy scrunched up her nose. So her guess had been correct about them sleeping together. Branch pointed at her, "Don't give me that look, I'm sure we've both made mistakes." Poppy unscrunched her face, "So what happened next?"

Branch continued, "The next morning she woke up really upset, and was accusing me of drugging her and raping her. I told her I hadn't, that we'd both just been drunk. She didn't believe me and threatened to call the cops. She ended up calling her sister to come get her and I called GD to tell him, thinking maybe he could talk some sense into her. Thankfully, between Chenille, GD, and Suki they were able to talk Satin out of falsely accusing me. So now, they just talk bad about me instead. GD and Suki know that is not something I would ever do. I'm pretty sure Chenille knows it too, but she wants to be on her sister's side as well."

Poppy was stunned, this whole time Satin and Chenille had been basically lying to her about Branch. She thought they were her friends. "So that's it? That's why they wanted me to stay away from you, because Satin thought you raped her?" Poppy asked.

"Yeah, you have to know I would never, ever do something like that. I know I can be ass, but I would never hurt a woman like that. But just so it's all out there, Satin hit on me at that party I rescued you from. I don't think she's a true friend to you Poppy. Chenille might be, but Satin seemed to be jealous of you. I'm not sure why and I won't tell you who to be friends with, but if I were you I'd just keep an eye out for the twins."

She couldn't believe what she was hearing, first the rape allegations and now Satin had hit on her man. She was going to have a very serious talk with her so-called friend. "Wow, I thought she was my friend. But either way, thank you for telling me Branch. I've been wondering for months what had happened, and now I know why you didn't want to tell me. And I know now why Satin has such a big problem with me." Poppy leaned up and let her lips meet Branch's. It was just a short, sweet kiss since Poppy knew now she would have to reveal what she'd been hiding from Branch this whole time. She took a deep breath before beginning her story.

"Creek, my ex, was my boyfriend for 2 years in high school. The first year and half were great, he was so sweet and nice. Then he started pressuring me for, well you know. I wasn't ready, but he kept insisting that it would help our relationship and other such nonsense. I still said no, and he started becoming a different person. He began to have a bad attitude and he was mean to me. After a while I got tired of it and tried breaking up with him. But he begged me to give him another chance, and he asked if he could come over that night to talk. I said yes, even though I knew dad's rules on boys being at the house while he wasn't home. So he came over, we talked and I, stupidly, decided to give him another chance."

At this point Poppy started to tear up and began sniffling. She saw Branch begin to say something but she held her hand up, "Please just give me a minute and I'll continue." Branch nodded, then got up and headed to the kitchen. Poppy wiped the tears from her face with the back of her hand. Branch returned a minute later with a box of tissues and a small trash can. Poppy gave him a small smile before dabbing her eyes with a tissue. She balled it up in her hand before continuing her story.

"Then we kissed, but when I tried to pull away he wouldn't let me. Unfortunately he was just too strong and I just couldn't get away from him. He ended up getting what he wanted, no matter how much I fought." Tears were flowing freely now and Poppy couldn't stop them. She could see Branch seething with anger. Poppy could see he had a lot to say but cut him off before he could.

"Obviously I was done with him at that point. I tried to report him, but his father is chief of police where I used to live and it all got swept under the rug. He was able to turn all my friends against me, he said that I willingly did it and I was falsely accusing him because I was upset he'd broken up with me. I couldn't get anyone to believe me. Then about a month later I began feeling sick and crampy. After a few days I went to the doctor since I wasn't getting any better. Turns out I was pregnant. I was so sick to my stomach. I didn't want it to be real, that I could be carrying this monster's child. But there was nothing I could do about it, so for the time being I just kept it to myself. I didn't want Creek to find out, I wanted nothing to do with him. A few weeks later I woke up one night with severe stomach pain. I got out of bed and went to the bathroom. There was blood all over…" Poppy had to take a break to cry. She felt Branch wrap his arms around her for the second time that evening. He stroked her hair as she cried quietly. After a few minutes she was able to catch her breath. She pulled away from Branch just enough that she could finish her story.

"My dad had to take me to the hospital and I ended telling him I was pregnant, I left out the other part. I didn't want him to know what Creek had done to me. Turns out I was losing the baby. As relieved as I was, it hurt so bad. Even though the baby was part his, it was also part mine. I had to go to school a few days later like nothing had happened. I didn't even try to make new friends or get my old ones back. I decided that as soon as senior year was over I would start my life over in a new place. I would be happy again and make new friends. Sure enough I did, and now I have you too." Poppy gave Branch a sweet smile, but it was short-lived.

Branch seemed to be fighting with many emotions but finally his face showed just one: sympathy. He wrapped one of her hands in his and said "Poppy, I am so, so sorry for what happened to you. No one deserves that, any of it. I can't even imagine what you went through. I see now why you didn't want to tell me." Then his face changed to anger, "But if I ever find that SOB he's dead. If you see him, you let me know and I'll take care of it."

Poppy really didn't know what to say. She didn't think Branch would be so calm about this, but she did think he'd make good about his threat on Creek. But she really hoped she wouldn't see him again. Poppy squeezed Branch's hand with her own, "Thank you Branch, I haven't told this to anyone else. I really thought you'd judge me or call me stupid."

Branch put his hand on Poppy's face and stroked a thumb across her cheek as she stared into his gorgeous blue eyes. "I'd never call you stupid Poppy, or judge you, especially for what happened to you. All of what happened is his fault. None of that is on you." Branch then leaned forward and placed a gentle kiss on her forehead. Poppy had never felt so loved in her life than in this moment.

"Now, why don't I go make us dinner and let's put a little more positivity on this night." Branch stood up and began walking towards the kitchen.

Poppy got up and walked after him and leaned on the kitchen counter as she watched Branch roam around the kitchen to get things ready for dinner, "Look who's Mr. Optimistic now."

Branch turned and gave her a wink before returning to his task.

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A few hours after dinner Poppy knew she needed to get to bed, they both had classes tomorrow. Branch let her borrow one of his shirts to sleep in. She took the bed while he took his couch, or maybe chair, she really wasn't sure. Poppy had tried to take the couch instead but he insisted.

After a while Poppy realized she wasn't going to sleep, her mind was still racing, and the thought of Creek still had her a little spooked. She didn't want to be alone right now. Slowly she got up and walked out to the living room. Branch was in his chair reading a book when she walked out.

"Branch?" She asked quietly.

Branch shot up quickly, "Poppy? What are you still doing up? Is everything okay?"

Poppy nodded, "I just can't sleep, and I don't want to be alone right now. Would you, um, come lay down with me?"

Branch gave her a questioning look. "Nothing like that, I'm still just a bit freaked about Creek and I just want some company."

"Okay Poppy, I'll stay until you fall asleep." Branch gestured to his bedroom and Poppy walked that way.

She got into bed and laid on her side facing Branch as he laid down on his back on top of the blankets beside her. Poppy gave him a small smile before saying "Good night Branch."

Branch returned her smile and replied, "Good night Poppy." He opened up his right arm to her, gesturing her to come closer. Before she lost her nerve she scooted over until her head was on his chest and his arm around her shoulder. She gently and slowly placed a hand on his chest as well. He didn't flinch away from her so Poppy decided it was okay and relaxed in his hold.

It wasn't long before her eyes finally felt heavy and before she knew it she was asleep. But right before she went to sleep she could have sworn she'd heard Branch's whispered voice in her ear, "I love you Poppy."

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 **A/N: Please don't throw anything at me! In advance I'm sorry if I upset anybody, but there was a warning. Anyway, please leave reviews!**


	17. Chapter 17

**A/N: Hey guys! New chapter for you, I won't be on the computer at all this weekend since it's a holiday so I hope this will suffice until I get back. Thank you for all the reviews, I appreciate all my fans! Just so you know, I'm glad noone berated me for that chapter. I know it was dark, and of course this one will be too, but know that I don't take anything lightly that I write. Some of these are very serious issues, and some of you are young readers. But just to ease your minds there will be a light at the end of this tunnel, just hang in there! And sorry to anyone about how I wrote Satin, I felt like I needed some more drama than just Creek. But either way let's get on with it, here's Branch's side!**

 **Warning: Adult content and cussing**

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Chapter 17

Branch couldn't remember being so happy. Poppy had a shined a light on his dull life since the day they'd met and the last month had been one of the best of his life. He enjoyed working on her song with her, she had an absolutely amazing voice and he loved it every time she sang. There were times he wanted to join her, but he just couldn't make himself. But he could help her write the song and GD would help her with her stage presence since it was something he couldn't. Then one day GD had an "amazing idea" for Poppy's performance.

The two had been having lunch when GD sat down next to Branch.

"Hey guys, what's up?" Guy said as he sat down.

Poppy, of course, was absolutely excited to see her friend, "Hi Guy! We're just having lunch."

Branch nodded to his friend, acknowledging his presence.

Then GD started, "So Pinky," he put his hands together on the table and leaned towards her, "I have an idea for your performance."

"What is it?" She asked.

"Wat if we make it a duet? I've got a kid in class who's having trouble, but he can really sing. I think with your song it would sound fantastic." GD looked hopeful at her.

Branch did not like the sound of this, another guy singing with his girl. He wasn't sure what GD was thinking, but he better know what he's doing. He could see Poppy thinking about it before she replied, "Um, we can try. I was going to practice later today, if he wants to come we can see how it goes."

GD beamed, "Awesome, thanks Poppy. And don't worry, if it doesn't work out I'll find something else for him."

Poppy smiled in return, "You're welcome. Um, I think I'm practicing around 5. And that'll give me and Branch time to figure out the lyrics for a duet."

GD got up to leave, "Alright, see you then Pinky. Branch, lovely talking with you as always."

Branch fought the urge to mouth off to his friend but instead just scowled and said "Bye GD."

He looked at Poppy then as GD left, "I'm not sure this is a good idea."

"Oh Branch, I'm sure it'll be fine. Let's give it a chance, and if it doesn't work all we did was waste some time. I already know the song, and I've still got a few weeks to figure out how to move on stage. Now, let's rewrite the lyrics so two can sing it." She smiled at him, and he knew any fight he had in his was gone. Branch knew that Poppy could talk him into just about anything, all she had to was smile at him and she had him. He still wasn't sold in this duet idea, but he'd give it a shot just like she'd asked.

He huffed in defeat, "Fine, but don't say I didn't warn you."

With that they preceded to write the song as a duet rather than a solo. It didn't really take that long, they mostly just had to decide who would sing what. Surprisingly, the song seemed to work out well as duet, much to Branch's chagrin. This was supposed to be just Poppy's song, and now some guy just wanted to walk in on their hard work. But he'd let her do as she thought best, it was her performance after all. And he wouldn't stand in her way, even if he didn't agree with it.

When they were done the exited the cafeteria and Branch walked Poppy to her class. The two shared a quick kiss but before Branch could walk away Poppy asked, "Meet me in the music hall at 5?"

Branch nodded in confirmation, "I'll be there Pops." And with that he headed to his own class.

As he walked he thought about what would happen at Poppy's practice later that afternoon. He was not going to be happy to see another guy sing with her, but what choice did he have? He wouldn't sing with her, so he had to let her make her own choice on this whether he liked it or not.

These thoughts circled in Branch's head as he reached his class and attempted to pay attention.

* * *

Branch entered the auditorium just before five that afternoon. He walked towards the front where he saw Poppy, GD, and another guy he didn't know. _Must be Aspen,_ Branch thought as he got closer to the trio. The kid was slightly shorter than him and smaller framed, but his smiling face really bugged Branch. He wasn't sure why, but he would definitely be keeping an eye on him around Poppy.

He stopped walking once he reached Poppy's side and continued to assess Aspen until GD spoke.

"Branch, this is Aspen."

Aspen reached his hand out to Branch, "Hi." He said giving Branch a smile.

Branch shook his hand hesitantly. "Hey." He replied back dryly before positioning himself closer to Poppy. He was clearly telling Aspen to keep his distance without having to say a word.

Poppy interrupted his shrewd assessment of Aspen by grabbing her sheet music from her bag and handing a copy to the boy.

"Here's the lyrics. It's never been sang as a duet before so I'm not sure how it'll sound, but let's give it a shot." She said to him, then pointed to a place on the page, "My part is highlighted in pink, and your part," she pointed to another place, "Your part is highlighted in blue. This part in yellow is both of us. Any questions?"

The boy shook his head, "I think I got it. These are some really good lyrics, did you write this?"

Branch could see Poppy smiling, "Actually Branch and I wrote it together."

"Well, shall we?" Aspen gestured for the stage and Poppy led the way.

Branch was not a big fan of this kid, but he didn't seem to be threatening. He was just being stupidly jealously over the boy. He took a seat near GD as Poppy and Aspen got ready on stage.

"Jealous much?" GD whispered to him.

Branch turned to look at his friend who had a smirk on his face. He scowled lightly in return, "Oh please, me jealous of him."

"Dude, don't even with me. I can see right through you, this bothers you doesn't it?" GD asked.

Branch huffed, "Okay, maybe a little. But Poppy can sing with whomever she wants."

Then Poppy started singing and the two became silent. Branch loved hearing her voice, he would never tire of hearing it. She finished her first few lines and then Aspen began to sing. Much to Branch's surprise he really could sing, GD hadn't been lying. He followed the melody well and mostly hit all the notes, but for never singing it before he was doing a good job. When they hit the duet part Aspen kept up with Poppy almost every step of the way. Branch never would have thought this kid could sing, but even he was impressed. He still didn't like him, but he and Poppy sounded good together.

When the song was over GD abruptly stood up and began clapping. Branch got up too and gave a slow clap. The song had sounded great, but Branch had kind of hoped it wouldn't. He still didn't want to see another guy singing with Poppy. Branch knew he wasn't the happiest person on the planet like Poppy was, and in a very small, dark place in his mind he was so afraid she might meet someone more like Aspen and see that she could do better. Not that Branch was a bad guy, he was just never going to share her optimism.

Poppy and Aspen began talking on stage, so GD turned to Branch, "You have to admit, that sounded pretty good."

Branch shrugged in return, "Yeah, it wasn't bad. Still don't like the guy though."

GD gave Branch a light pat on the back while smiling before joining the other on stage. Branch sat back down and watched as Aspen stepped closer to Poppy, he wasn't close enough to be a threat yet, but a scowl returned to his face. GD reached them then and started talking to them in a very loud voice. Branch wasn't really too interested in listening to what he had to say so he ignored them. A moment later he heard them all laughing and then GD left the stage to return to Branch's side. Just a minute later Poppy and Aspen began their singing, but Branch just kept his eyes on Poppy. She was so beautiful, especially with the stage lights on her. He let the scowl fall from his face as he watched her. She was so much more confident on stage now than we she had first started. And as much as he didn't want to admit it, this duet was probably going to be quite the performance.

The two sang the song a few more times before calling it quits for the day. Branch was relieved, he was ready to go home and get ready for his and Poppy's dinner later that night. He was going to cook of course, God bless the girl but she couldn't cook.

He then saw Poppy and Aspen walking towards him and GD, both a bit out of breath and flushed. GD spoke to the two, "Guys, that sounded great. Tomorrow, we'll practice again and add some dance moves." GD gave them a big smile.

Poppy smiled in return, "Sounds good, same time?"

"Yep." GD nodded.

Poppy grabbed her bag from a nearby chair and turned to Branch as Aspen talked to GD. "Ready to go?" She asked him.

Branch grabbed her hand and let a small smile appear, "Let's go." They walked out of the building hand in hand towards Poppy's dorm. Normally Branch wouldn't show pda, but with Poppy it didn't seem to bother him. And he was kind of telling, or rather showing, Aspen that Poppy was his.

As they walked Poppy asked, "So what did you think Branch? I could tell you didn't think highly of Aspen."

She was right, he didn't. Branch sighed, "Yeah, there was just something about him that got under my skin. But it did sound pretty good, and I know this performance means a lot to you so I'm not going to do anything, but I don't have to like him."

"So, you think it sounded good?" Poppy asked, seeming to put aside all the negativity in his statement about Aspen. It was a very "Poppy" move to focus on just the positive.

But to put any of Poppy's doubts about his opinions of her at ease Branch stopped and pulled her to him so that they were facing each other. He grabbed both her hands with his and his eyes met her, "Poppy, it sounded amazing. I really mean it." Branch then leaned down and gave her a quick kiss.

He saw Poppy blush, "Aw, thanks Branch." They then began walking again and soon enough they had reached Poppy's dorm. She turned to face him, "Dinner tonight, right?"

Branch nodded, "How does 7 sound?"

Poppy smiled in return, "Sounds great."

The two shared a kiss before saying their goodbyes. Branch walked away as Poppy entered her dorm. He glanced back once to make sure she had went inside before continuing walking. As much as he wasn't ready to leave her side, Branch knew he would be seeing her later. He'd never wanted to be with a girl as much as he wanted to be with Poppy. In fact, other than his family he'd never felt like this before.

It wasn't long before he reached his car. He got in and headed back to his apartment. Once there he started digging through his fridge for their dinner that night. Only a few minutes had passed before there was a knock on the door. Branch looked up from his task, a bit confused. He wasn't expecting anyone, and Poppy shouldn't be there for another hour. Tentatively he walked to the front door and opened it. Poppy was standing there, looking very nervous.

"Poppy? What are you doing here? I thought we were having dinner at 7." Branch asked, a bit puzzled. He was happy to see her of course, but her presence so early had him perplexed.

"I know, I'll explain but can I please come in?" Poppy asked in return.

Branch wasn't sure what was going on, but he quickly moved aside and held the door for her, "Sure, come on in."

Poppy walked in and Branch closed the door behind her. She looked really nervous, very unusual for Poppy. Branch watched as she put her bag on the couch and pulled something out of it. She handed it to Branch, it was her cell phone. He looked down to see a message on the screen,

' _Nice boyfriend Poppy, did you find him in the trash? How much longer do you think you can hide from me. I'll be seeing you soon love. Boop.'_

Branch seethed with anger. This must be from Poppy's ex, but how did he know about Branch? Was he following Poppy? Branch tried to keep his voice to avoid yelling at Poppy, "What the hell does this mean?! Is this guy stalking you?"

Poppy looked really scared now, "I don't know Branch, but I'm scared. He's supposed to stay away from me, but obviously he's not or he wouldn't know about you."

Branch did not like seeing her like this, if he ever got his hands on this guy…. He handed Poppy her phone and turned away rubbing his hands on his face contemplating what to do. He turned back to her, "We're going to do something about this."

"What are we going to do about it Branch? I don't know how he's even spying on me." Poppy replied.

"Can you tell the police?" Branch asked, not sure what else could be done unless this guy was found.

Poppy shook her head, "I don't want to get the police involved. Please don't make me. But do you care if I spend the night here? Just for tonight, I don't want to be alone."

Branch actually liked the sound of that, he could keep her safe and spend more time with her. "Fine, no police. And you're staying here until we figure this out. In fact, I don't want you alone at all. I want someone to be with you at all times. When you're at school, if I can't walk you to class one of your friends will." He knew he was probably overreacting, but he didn't care. Poppy was the most important person in his life and he would do anything to keep her safe. She was the only girl he'd ever loved. _Wait, did I think what I think I just thought? I'll come back to this later._

"Aren't you being a little over protective Branch?" Poppy asked him.

Branch put his hands on her shoulders, "No, I'll do anything to keep you safe. If that's being over protective, that's fine but I won't let anything happen to you." Branch pulled her to his chest and wrapped his arms around her. Poppy returned the gesture and put her arms around him too. "I don't know what I'd do without you Poppy." He whispered in her ear. Poppy said nothing in return but squeezed him tighter.

After a few minutes they released each other. Branch smiled at Poppy and she smiled in return, but neither smile lasted long. "Now, are you going to tell me what happened with this guy?"

He saw Poppy freeze and it looked as if she was having a mental freak out. He had no idea what this guy had done to her, but it must have been pretty bad if she wasn't willing to talk about it. Poppy sat down on the couch and put her face in her hands. Branch could see she was fighting tears and sat down beside her. "Poppy, please don't cry. I just want to help."

Poppy looked up at him, her face red and her eyes watering, "I know Branch, I just don't know that I'm ready."

Branch nodded in understanding and Poppy put her face in her hands again. He wasn't really sure what to do. He desperately wanted to know what she was hiding. Branch didn't want there to be secrets between them, so he decided to tell his final secret. Even if she didn't tell him anything in return, she would know pretty much everything he had been hiding from everyone else for years. Before he could stop himself he said, "Satin tried to pin criminal charges on me."

Poppy's head shot up, "What?"

Branch badly want to stop the story there, but he knew had to continue. "I was at a party with GD last fall. He'd begged me to go with him, I didn't really want to go but I went anyway. I started drinking, pretty hard, and Satin found me by myself. GD had gone off to dance with Suki. By that time I was drunk, and she was too. One thing led to another and she ended up coming home with me.

He saw Poppy scrunch her nose as if disgusted, "Don't give me that look," He pointed a finger at her, "I'm sure we've both made mistakes."

Poppy unscrunched her face, "So what happened next?"

"The next morning she woke up really upset, and was accusing me of drugging her and raping her. I told her I hadn't, that we'd both just been drunk. She didn't believe me and threatened to call the cops. She ended up calling her sister to come get her and I called GD to tell him, thinking maybe he could talk some sense into her. Thankfully, between Chenille, GD, and Suki they were able to talk Satin out of falsely accusing me. So now, they just talk bad about me instead. GD and Suki know that is not something I would ever do. I'm pretty sure Chenille knows it too, but she wants to be on her sister's side as well." Branch concluded his story.

"So that's it? That's why they wanted me to stay from you, because Satin thought you raped her?" Poppy asked, knowing the allegations were obviously false.

"Yeah, you have to know I would never, ever do something like that. I know I can be an ass, but I would never hurt a woman like that. But just so it's all out there, Satin hit on me at that party I rescued you from. I don't think she's a true friend to you Poppy. Chenille might be, but Satin seemed to be jealous of you. I'm not sure why and I won't tell you who to be friends with, but if I were you I'd just keep eye out for the twins." Branch hated to basically tell Poppy two of her friends had been fake, but he'd rather her find out now than later.

"Wow, I thought she was my friend. But either way, thank you for telling me Branch. I've been wondering for months what had happened, and now I know why you didn't want to tell me. And I know now why Satin has such a big problem with me." Poppy leaned up and her lips met Branch's in a short, sweet kiss. Branch honestly could have kept kissing her, but she was the one to pull away. And after a deep breath out of Poppy, he found out why.

"Creek, my ex, was my boyfriend for 2 years in high school. The first year and a half were great, he was so sweet and nice. Then started pressuring me for, well, you know. I wasn't ready, but he kept insisting that it would hep our relationship and other such nonsense. I still said no, and he started becoming a different person. He began to have a bad attitude and he was mean to me. After a while I got tired of it and tried breaking up with him. But he begged me to give him another chance, and he asked if he could come over that night to talk. I said yes, even though I knew my dad's rules on boy being at the house while he wasn't home. So he came over, we talked and I, stupidly, decided to give him another chance."

Poppy started to cry, and Branch was getting angry again. He was pretty sure he knew where this was going, and he had a lot to say. But when he opened his mouth to try Poppy held her hand up, "Please just give me a minute and I'll continue." Branch stowed his comments for the moment and nodded. To give himself something to do until she could continue her story he went the kitchen and retrieved a box of tissues and a trash can, and brought them back to the living room setting them down in front of her. Poppy gave him a small smile before grabbing a tissue and dabbing her eyes. She balled it up in her hand and continued.

"Then we kissed, but when I tried to pull away he wouldn't let me. Unfortunately, he was just too strong and I couldn't get away from him. He ended up getting what he wanted, no matter how much I fought."

Poppy was really crying now, and Branch was absolutely seething. How could this little prick do something so heinous? Especially to a nice, sweet young girl like Poppy. No girl ever deserved that, but Poppy was one of the nicest people he knew. He held back all he wanted to say, and Poppy continued on.

"Obviously I was done with him at that point. I tried to report him, but his father is chief of police where I used to live and it all got swept under the rug. He was able to turn all my friend against me, he said that I willingly did it and I was falsely accusing him because I was upset he'd broken up with me. I couldn't get anyone to believe me. Then about a month later I began feeling sick and crampy. After a few days I went to the doctor since I wasn't getting any better. Turns out I was pregnant. I was so sick to my stomach. I didn't want it to be real, that I could be carrying this monster's child. But there was nothing I could do about it, so for the time being I just kept it to myself. I didn't want Creek to find out, I wanted nothing to do with him. A few weeks later I woke up one night with severe stomach pain. I got out of bed and went to the bathroom. There was blood all over…" Poppy began crying again. Branch wrapped his arms around her and stroked her hair gently, not sure what else to do. His anger had melted into sympathy. He was still very angry, but he felt so sorry for this sweet, poor girl. He thought the violation was bad enough, but this was just as bad. She had been through so much and was still so kind and optimistic. Poppy had to be one of the bravest people he'd ever met, after all she'd been through she should be hateful and more pessimistic than him. He almost wanted to cry with her, but he stayed strong for her and let her cry on him, letting out her hurt.

After a few minutes Poppy was able to speak and pulled away from Branch. "My dad had to take me to the hospital and I ended up telling him I was pregnant, I left out the other part. I didn't want him to know what Creek had done to me. Turns out I was losing the baby. As relieved as I was, it hurt so bad. Even though the baby was part his, it was also part mine. I had to go to school a few days later like nothing had happened. I didn't even try to make new friends or get my old ones back. I decided that as soon as senior year was over I would start my life over in a new place. I would be happy again and make new friends. Sure enough I did, and now I have you too." She gave Branch a short, sweet smile.

Branch put his anger aside and pushed all the sympathy he had in him to the surface. He wrapped one of her hands in his and said, "Poppy, I am so, so sorry for what happened to you. No one deserves that, any of it. I can't even imagine what you went through. I see now why you didn't want to tell me. But if I ever find that SOB he's dead. If you see him, you let me know and I'll take care of it."

Poppy squeezed his hand, "Thank you Branch, I haven't told this to anyone else. I really thought you'd judge me or call me stupid."

Branch reached up with his hand and stroked a thumb across Poppy's cheek as they looked into each other's eyes. "I'd never call you stupid Poppy, or judge you, especially for what happened to you. All of what happened is his fault. None of that is on you." He leaned forward then and placed a gentle kiss on her forehead. He did love this girl, he wasn't ready to say it out loud, but he could admit it to himself.

He stood up suddenly, "Now, why don't I go make us dinner and let's put a little more positivity on this night." Branch didn't want to dwell on these sad topics anymore. He headed towards the kitchen to finish prepping the dinner he'd started.

Poppy followed him and leaned on the kitchen counter as Branch remembered what he was doing before she had arrived, "Look who's Mr. Optimistic now."

Branch turned and gave her a wink before returning to his task.

* * *

A few hours after dinner Poppy decided she needed to go to bed. Branch wasn't quite ready as he relied on less sleep than her. He gave her one of his shirts to sleep in, as nothing else he had would fit her slender frame. He allowed her privacy to get ready for bed and went back to the living room. She would take his bed while he would probably sleep in his chair.

Branch cleaned up the kitchen a bit and then brushed his teeth before slipping into his own pajamas, just a t-shirt and sweats, which he'd laid on the bathroom counter when he'd left his bedroom. He headed back to the living room and pulled his book out of his bag before heading back to his chair. Branch got comfortable and began reading.

About half an hour went by before he heard Poppy's voice, "Branch?"

Branch shot up and saw Poppy not standing too far away, "Poppy? What are you still doing up? Is everything okay?" He asked quickly in succession. She was dressed in only his t-shirt, and he had to force himself to not stare at her legs. After what she had just told him earlier in the night, he did not need to get excited now.

Poppy nodded, "I just can't sleep, and I don't want to be alone right now. Would you, um, come lay down with me?"

Branch wasn't too sure about this request, but Poppy quickly explained herself, "Nothing like that, I'm just still freaked about Creek and I just want some company."

He still didn't think this was a great idea, but she seemed a bit scared and he would do anything to make her feel better. "Okay Poppy, I'll stay until you fall asleep." Branch gestured to his bedroom and Poppy walked that way in front of him. He had to force his eyes not to look down as she walked in front of him. _Keep it under control man, or this won't be good for either of you._

Poppy got into the bed under the covers, while Branch laid next to her on top of the covers. She laid on side facing him and he on his back. Poppy gave him a small smile and said, "Good night Branch."

Branch smiled back, "Good night Poppy." Knowing he shouldn't but doing it anyway he opened up his right arm to her. She scooted over towards him until her head was on his chest and he put his arm around his shoulder. Poppy gently placed a hand on his chest as well. Normally he wouldn't like this sort of touch, but nothing from her seemed to bother him. She was tense as first, but it didn't take her long to relax. Branch had never felt this sort of intimacy, he'd been with other girls of course, but none had ever been Poppy. He could be himself with her, he could relax with her, she brought out the best in him.

It wasn't long before Poppy's breathing became even and Branch figured she was asleep so he took his chance and whispered, "I love you Poppy." She didn't stir, so sleep must have finally found her. He knew he should leave, but it felt right here in bed with her. So instead he just stayed where he was and fell asleep with her.


	18. Chapter 18

**A/N: Hey guys! I know, I know, it's been almost a month since my last update, but I wanted to get this chapter right and I kept having writer's block. But on a positive note, we have hit over 100 reviews! Thank you all so much, I never thought this story would gain any popularity and I'm so grateful for everyone who's read it, even if it wasn't a favorite for them.**

Link Fangirl01: As always, thank you for your review. I'm so sorry these past two chapters were a bit disturbing, but I promise it does get better.

mlpfanceline1: Thank you for all your reviews as well. I really like writing from both sides, I feel like it gives the reader more depth of character.

Guest 1: In my mind Branch has many sides that the movie didn't quite get in to, so I'm doing my best to portray that. And thank you, I did enjoy my holiday.

ExMarkSpot: Here's your next chapter!

Guest 2: Thank you! I never thought I'd get any praise for this story, but here's something new for you to read.

Guest 3: I never even thought about doing that, but that would be a great idea for a chapter :)

Warning: Okay guys, there's a bit of explicit content later in this chapter. Please for those underage you have been warned. I did my best to keep it PG-13 but if anyone feels like I went over that please let me know. Otherwise, enjoy!

* * *

Chapter 18

"So, how's it going with Branch?" Suki asked her pink-haired friend as they sat down to lunch with Guy, Satin, Chenille, and Biggie."

Poppy smiled thinking about the last week, "Actually it's going really well. I figured he would've been fed up with me by now, but he's been nothing but sweet. He's barely even been grumpy in the morning."

Suki, Guy, and Biggie each gave a small laugh. Chenille smiled, but Satin didn't look amused at all.

"Speaking of, where is the grump? He's barely let you out of his sight since last Friday." Guy asked Poppy.

Poppy quickly swallowed her food so she could respond, "He said he had something to do for architecture. I know he told me, but I didn't under stand any of it. He just wanted me to stay with at least one of you until he got done."

Suki put a hand on her friend's shoulder, "Well you're going to practice here in a just a bit right?"

Poppy nodded, "Yeah, then Branch wanted to take me somewhere. But he didn't say where."

"Poppy how is your rehearsing going? Are you getting nervous about the big performance?" Biggie asked from across the table.

"Actually, really good, Aspen is doing such a great job and he's getting the dancing. Still some work there, but I think we'll have it down pact by the performance. And I'm really excited, but yeah I'm nervous too. I've never sang in front of an audience that big." Poppy replied.

"You'll be fine Pinky, you and Aspen look great up there." Guy said to her.

Poppy blushed slightly, "Thanks Guy."

"Well, we'll all be there to watch Poppy. I'm sure it'll be amazing." Chenille said to her.

Poppy replied with a smile as she returned to eating her lunch. She noticed Satin still had barely spoken to her, but she hadn't given her any sideways glances either. Poppy did really want to be friends with the girl, but after what Branch had told her apparently Satin didn't. She hadn't brought it up since it didn't seem worth fighting over. And she didn't want to cause a rift amongst her friends, Chenille still seemed to be her friend, but she knew she would take her sister's side even if Satin was in the wrong.

The rest of the lunch continued in occasional conversation, but with finals in just a few weeks they all had a lot on their minds. Poppy finished her lunch quickly and turned to Suki, "You wanna take a walk with me before practice? I wouldn't ask, but you know…." She let the end of her sentence trail off hoping Suki knew what she meant.

Suki nodded and smiled, "Of course, I wasn't doing anything anyway. And I know Branch wants you to have a babysitter 24/7."

Poppy grimaced slightly, but Suki quickly corrected herself, "I didn't mean it that way Poppy, I don't want you alone right now either. So yes I'll be glad to take a walk."

The grimace on Poppy's face turned to a smile, "Thanks."

Suki turned to give Guy a quick kiss on the cheek before getting up and telling everyone goodbye. Poppy did the same and the two girls walked away with trays in their hands. The two set their trays down on the belt that led back to where the dishes were washed and walked out the cafeteria doors. It was definitely getting colder as the fall was slowly coming to an end and winter was right around the corner. Luckily it was a sunny day and not much of a breeze, so it was decent for the time of year. Still it was chilly, and Poppy and Suki didn't see as many students as they normally would. Poppy hadn't really wanted to go for a walk, but she couldn't stay in that stuffy cafeteria anymore. And after thinking about Satin attempting to seduce Branch her temper had flared, and she felt her body heat up with the response. She didn't want to feel this way, but same as Branch she did have a jealous side.

Poppy turned to Suki trying to choose her words carefully. Finally, she sighed, "Can I ask you a question Suki?"

Suki turned to look at her, "Sure, what's up?"

"What would you do if another girl was um…flirting with your man?" Poppy knew her face was red, but she needed another's girl insight on this.

Suki looked taken aback by this question but looked down in contemplation as the two continued walking, "Well, with Guy personally I know he would take it as a compliment, but he would let the girl down easy. I trust him, and I've seen it happen especially with younger students. I just let him handle it so long as nothing happens. Did something happen with Branch or is this just curiosity?"

Poppy didn't want to answer, but decided to be as vague as possible, "I guess a girl was really flirting with him, like almost seducing him. But he pushed her away, and now she's mad at me like I did something to her." She quickly stopped talking and put a hand over her mouth realizing what she had said.

Suki stopped and looked at Poppy questioningly. She narrowed her eyes and asked, "Do I know this girl?"

Poppy eyes widened, "Uh…." She didn't want to answer this.

"It's Satin, isn't it?" Suki said, almost blandly as if it wasn't big news.

Poppy swallowed audibly and looked down, "How did you know?"

Suki flipped a hand and blew a raspberry before saying, "Oh please, that's girl been hung up on him since their night together. She acts like she hates him but we all know different. I can see the way she's been acting around you, and it all makes sense now. So, what'd she do?" She put her hand on her hips waiting for an answer.

Poppy looked up to meet her eyes, "She tried to seduce Branch at the party. He pushed her away but warned me that she may not be my friend. I want to be her friend, but I don't know what to do now."

Suki nodded, "For now Poppy, I wouldn't do anything. If she's jealous of you for being with Branch there's nothing you can do about it. But Branch wouldn't have any of it even before you guys were together. I wish I knew what to tell you, but I'm at a loss. I think you're going to have to decide what's best."

Poppy nodded, still a bit discouraged. She had no clue what to do, but Suki was right. Branch had handled it, so unless she just wanted to start a fight with Satin she may as well leave it be unless Satin said something.

While Poppy contemplated her problem the two continued their walk around campus. The two walked in silence for a bit before Poppy heard her friend's voice.

"So, how's it been staying with Branch?" Suki asked.

Poppy turned to look at her friend, not quite expecting the question. "You know, I thought it would be weird, but it's actually been fine. I wasn't sure if we were going to get along, but he's been a total sweetheart, but don't tell him I told you that." Poppy put a finger to her lips.

"I won't say a word." Suki said smiling.

* * *

Poppy walked towards Branch's car after practice that day. Branch was dressed a tad nicer today being in a long sleeved light blue button up shirt, black slacks, and black dress shoes.

"I hate to say it Pops, but you and Aspen actually looked really good on stage together." Branch said looking at her.

Poppy turned to him and smiled, "Thanks, he's been working really hard to get those dance moves down."

"Yeah, he's finally getting there. Good thing too since your performance is next weekend."

Poppy groaned, "Don't remind me, I'm already nervous enough."

Branch chuckled and opened her door as they reached his car, "You'll be fine." He said as he closed the door after she sat down.

Poppy knew he was right, she was more than ready and honestly just wanted it to be over with. She was really excited but way nervous. There was a lot riding on this, and she had to make sure it was as close to perfect as possible.

Branch got into the driver's side and started the car. Poppy noticed as they started driving that they weren't headed home. She looked at Branch questioningly, "Where are we going?"

He looked at her out of the corner of his eye, "You'll see."

Poppy truly had no idea where they were going but decided not to pry any further. They continued to drive in silence like they always did. Driving always seemed to be their quiet time to reflect on their day and what had to be done later.

"We're here." Branch said to Poppy, bringing her out of her stupor.

Poppy shook her head slightly, she'd been so zoned out she hadn't realized they'd stopped. She looked around, they seemed to be parked outside of a school. It looked like it should be shut down, but Poppy noticed several kids exiting the building.

"What are we doing here?" She asked, looking a little skeptical at their surroundings.

"I want you to meet someone." Branch replied before getting out of the car and walking around to open her door.

Poppy was confused by this, who would he want her to meet at a school? Before she could think any more on it he opened her door and offered her his hand. She grabbed it with her own and allowed him to pull her out of the car before closing the door behind her. Poppy followed Branch as he opened the door to the school and they walked in. They continued down the hallway where there were several dark classrooms. There was one room at the end of hall that Poppy could see was still lit and she could hear voices echoing out of the classroom.

Sure enough it was the room Branch was taking her to. When they walked in Poppy looked around, noticing quite a few kids working on what looked to be homework.

"Branch!" She heard someone say, and she looked up to see a young girl running towards Branch. She had blonde hair and her head stood at about Branch's waist. By the voice she thought it might've been a boy.

The girl threw her arms around Branch and he gave her a small hug back. Poppy was taken aback at this, Branch never let anyone hug him except her.

"Hey Smidge." Branch said to the young girl.

The girl then stepped back, put her hands on her hips, and gave Branch a begrudging look, "Where've you been? You haven't been here in weeks, what gives?"

This shocked Poppy a bit, but then she smiled. Nobody talked to Branch like this girl did either. Poppy was impressed as she watched the interaction.

"Sorry Smidge, I've had a lot going on. But I'm here now, and I've got someone I'd like you to meet." He gestured to Poppy, "This is Poppy."

Poppy gave Smidge a smile, "Hi Smidge, it's nice to meet you."

Smidge didn't say anything in return, but instead looked Poppy up and down assessing her. She then turned to look at Branch, "This is your girlfriend?"

Branch nodded and replied, "Yes, she is."

Smidge turned back to Poppy. This staring made Poppy want to shy away, but instead she looked down at the little girl with confidence.

After a moment Smidge nodded and said, "I like her, the pink hair is different. And she's pretty, good job Branch. Now come on, I have homework." With that Smidge turned around and headed back to the table she had been sitting at.

Branch turned to Poppy and gave her a smile, "And that is Smidge."

Poppy nodded as the two walked towards the table where Smidge sat, "I've been tutoring kids here for years after school. Smidge is in the system, like a lot of kids here, and you heard how different she is. So when she started needing help, she just kind of clung to me. She's really a sweet kid, just has a thick outer shell."

Poppy looked at him, "Kind of like someone else I know." She nudged Branch with her elbow. He gave a small smile and they both sat at the table with Smidge.

* * *

The two were just about to leave the school when Smidge gave Branch a small hug then tugged on his sleeve. He knelt down and Poppy saw her whisper something to him before giving a smile. Branch whispered back and turned to Poppy with a bit of a blush on his face.

She looked at Smidge, "Bye Smidge, it was nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet you too Poppy, you should come back some time." Smidge replied before running out the door.

Then Branch and Poppy headed out of the school and both got into Branch's car. As Branch started driving back to the apartment he turned and said to her, "So, what'd you think?"

"I like her, I didn't know you tutored little kids though."

"With all that's been going on I just didn't think about telling you. Plus it was kind of my secret."

"I think it's sweet, who knew the old grump had a soft spot for kids." Poppy looked at him with a smile.

"Now you can't go around having everyone think I'm nice, so keep this between us please." Branch replied.

Poppy put her hands up in defeat, "Okay, I won't tell anyone. But it's still really nice of you."

Branch shrugged, "Kids need more help than any of us, if I can help I'm going to."

Poppy simply nodded not knowing what else to say. The two fell back into their regular silence in the car.

After they got to Branch's apartment, Poppy went to the bedroom and threw her bag on the floor. She'd gotten most of her homework done while Branch had helped Smidge so she really didn't have anything to do. She walked back out to the living room, flopped on the couch, and turned on the tv. She found one of her favorite sitcoms and relaxed into the couch. After a bit she looked over to the kitchen where Branch was cooking, "Whatcha making?" She asked.

"Porkchops, grilled veggies, rolls, and of course mac and cheese." He gave her a smile.

She smiled back, "You had me at mac and cheese." She giggled and watched as he just shook his head at her.

Poppy went back to watching her program as Branch continued cooking. She really did love the man, but she didn't know how to tell him. He seemed to really care for her, but she wasn't sure if it was the same for him. He was not the type to talk about his feelings, and it wasn't something she could force. It'd been something she'd been thinking a lot about, especially since they were sorta living together until the whole Creek mess got sorted out. She hadn't gotten any more texts though, which she was very thankful for, but she still wasn't brave enough to go back to her dorm where she would be alone.

A plate was set down in front of her on the coffee table as she was pulled from her thoughts. "Dinner?" Branch asked her as she looked up at him.

She looked down at her plate, "Branch, this looks so good, like always." She leaned up and they shared a quick kiss before Branch sat down next to her with his own plate. They watched the tv in silence as they ate dinner. It was delicious as Poppy had assumed, Branch was an amazing cook. Poppy was grateful for this as she could darn near burn cereal.

After Poppy finished her dinner she took her plate to the sink and began cleaning up the kitchen while Branch finished his plate. "Do you want any more?" She asked him.

She saw him shake his head before he turned to her, "Nah, I'm good."

Poppy put the leftovers in a container and put them in the fridge, they could finish it tomorrow. She finished cleaning off the countertops and the stove while she waited for Branch to finish his plate. Just as she was done cleaning Branch brought his plate into the kitchen and put it in the sink. Poppy then began her task of washing dishes. Branch placed his hands on either side of her on the counter and she could feel his lips near her ear, "I keep telling you you don't have to do that." His voice sent a shiver through her.

"And I keep telling you that if you're going to cook then I'm going to clean." She tried to keep her voice steady as not to show her nervousness. Anytime Branch was this close her heartrate shot up and the butterflies in her stomach were uncontrollable. She liked the feeling, but it was something no one had ever made her feel before. It also made her feel like doing things she probably shouldn't, but the longer she stayed in the same living space as Branch the more she wanted to. Poppy had to tell herself everyday to keep it together, but her hormones were urging her on. Seeing as her first experience was not something she wanted to remember she was also absolutely terrified of wanting to take it further with Branch. She knew he would not hurt her, but anytime she thought of sex Creek came to mind.

She could feel Branch pull his head away from her slightly then he placed a kiss on the back of her neck that sent chills down in her spine. Poppy had to physically control herself from shaking and was thankful that she could concentrate on the plate she was watching.

"Alright, then I'm going to take a shower." She heard his voice near her ear again before he left the kitchen. Poppy released the breath she hadn't realized she was holding. She could relax now, she hadn't realized she had tensed while Branch was standing there. To get her mind off Branch for the time being Poppy thought back to her performance. She was really hoping it would be good enough for Cooper to recognize her.

Poppy finished her dishes and looked around the room to make sure the kitchen was clean. Deciding that it was she went back to the living room to watch tv. It wasn't long before she heard the bathroom door open and the bedroom door close. She hadn't been able to catch him, but she did wander what he looked like in just a towel. _Stop it Poppy, no!_ She mentally berated herself. Poppy made herself concentrate on her program.

Branch entered the room a few minutes later with his usual nightly outfit: t-shirt and sweats. His black hair was spiked up and Poppy had to look away quickly to keep her mind from unclean thoughts. He sat down in his chair, grabbed his bag from the floor, and pulled out a textbook and a notebook. That made Poppy suddenly remember, "Oh yeah, how did your architecture thing go today?" She asked him.

He looked up from his textbook, "It was an interview Pops, and I think it went well." Branch sighed and sat up in his chair, "But I'm not sure, those guys showed less emotion than I do so I couldn't tell if they liked me or not."

Poppy's eyes widened, "It's possible to show less emotion?"

Branch narrowed his eyes at her. Before he could reply Poppy smiled and said, "I'm just kidding. But from what I can tell you really know what you're talking about with this architecture stuff, so I think you'll get the job."

The look on Branch's face turned to a small smile, "Thanks, I hope so. But I'm not going to hold my breath either. There's a few other students interested, and they're just as good as me." Branch then put his head back to his textbook. Seeing that Branch was probably going to be busy for a while Poppy got up and went to take a shower.

When she was done she got dressed and blow dried her hair just for something to do. She knew Branch would still be busy with his homework, and there wasn't much on tv. After she was finished with her hair she went to find her phone, there was a text from her father which she promptly replied to. Out of boredom she checked her facebook, there was nothing new of course.

A few minutes later she went out to the living to find Branch reading his book instead of working on homework. She sat down on the couch, "You're done already?"

He looked up at her, "Yeah, I didn't have much tonight. Just a few notes to go over. Don't you have any?"

Poppy shrugged, "I finished most of it while you were working with Smidge. I just have some reading left but I can do that between classes tomorrow."

Branch gave her a look almost like a parent would, "Why don't you just finish it?"

She sighed, "Because I don't wanna do it tonight and I have time tomorrow. Is that okay with you dad?"

Branch just rolled his eyes at her and shook his head returning to his book. Poppy knew Branch liked to keep up with his studying and homework, but she just couldn't do it every night. He had a 4.0 GPA, studied pretty much nightly, and always had his homework done before he went to bed. He even had papers done well before they needed to be, while she tended to put things off until the last minute. She knew her grades could be better, but she averaged B's with a few C's. Poppy had never been a great student, she wanted more a social life. Of course right now Branch was keeping her under lock and key, and for the moment she wasn't objecting. She could still hang out with her friends during the day, but once they were home that's where they stayed with all the doors and windows firmly locked.

Glancing at the clock it was almost time for her to go to bed, and she was tired anyway. She got up to brush her teeth and then went back to the living room to tell Branch good night. They almost never went to bed at the same time. He seemed to be able to run on a lot less sleep than her. He was up before her everyday and she was usually asleep well before he came to bed. Poppy had no idea how he did it, plus had a job, tutored kids, and kept up with all his school work.

She walked out to stand next to his chair, she stood there until he looked up. "Going to bed already? Isn't it still kind of early?" Branch asked her.

Poppy shrugged, "I'm tired anyway." She leaned down to give him a quick kiss. Before walking back to the bedroom she said, "Good night, love you." And then stopped dead in her tracks. She was already facing towards the bedroom, so she couldn't see Branch's face. Poppy heard his chair squeak as he got up. She swallowed audibly, and slowly turned around.

Branch seemed to loom over her and his sky-blue eyes were huge. His face had seemed to pale as well. She could see him swallow too before he said, "What did you say?"

Poppy's mouth was dry as she tried to come up with an explanation, "I didn't mean to say it, it just came out I swear." She was fighting back tears, she had no clue what he was going to do now. Things had been going so well and now she may have screwed it all up.

Before she could say any more he put both of his hands on her shoulders and she couldn't look away from his gaze. "You didn't mean it, or you didn't mean to say it?" He asked her, his eyes full of desperation for an answer.

Poppy was not going to lie, if it meant destroying the past few months then fine. But at least he would know how she felt. In a very quiet voice she replied, "I didn't mean to say it." She knew he could hear her.

He looked away from her for a moment then met her gaze once again, "But you did mean it." It wasn't a question. Poppy nodded, and one tear escaped and traveled down her face. Then suddenly her head was pressed against Branch's chest. He had both arms wrapped around her shoulders and one hand was stroking her pink hair. "Oh Poppy, don't cry." Branch said to her. Poppy did her best to calm herself and took a few deep breaths as she wrapped her arms around his waist returning the embrace.

Branch continued stroking her hair as they stood there, then she heard his voice rumble in his chest. "I know I'm not the easiest man to deal with, and I don't do the 'feelings' things, but you are the one person I can be myself around. I don't have to hide anything from you, you've accepted everything I've told you and shown you, and never once have you looked at me like I was trash like most people have. I love you Poppy, I have for a while now." Poppy started at this and looked up at him. "You have?" She asked confused.

He nodded, "And I'm guessing you've felt the same way?"

Poppy nodded in reply, "I was just so afraid I would scare you off, I didn't want to say anything. And it really did just slip out of my mouth."

Before Poppy could say anything else one of Branch's hands was on the back of her neck and his mouth was pressed against hers. All her thoughts were immediately thrown into oblivion as her body took over. She kissed him back fervently and ran both her hands through his hair. She heard him groan and his free hand grabbed her waist. Poppy let out a gasp as his tongue parted her lips and the hand on her neck slipped into her hair. She felt him grab a handful of her hair and pull a bit, but not enough to hurt her. Branch took a step toward her, which made her step back. This was repeated several times until her back hit one of the living room walls.

The two pulled apart for just a second to get a lungful of air before continuing. Poppy ran her hands up and down Branch's arms and his back before returning to his hair. Branch's hands were all over her and she was having a hard time keeping her wits about her. She knew if they didn't stop soon, they wouldn't. Not that she wanted to stop, and Branch's body gave him away. But she had really never done this before. No, she wasn't a virgin technically but she'd wanted nothing to do with that. So she really didn't have any experience and didn't want to be a disappointment. She knew Branch had plenty of experience and obviously knew what he was doing. That was something she chose not to think about though and put it out of her mind.

Finally, Branch pulled back and Poppy looked into his sky-blue eyes. They were both panting but it wasn't long before they recovered. Branch wouldn't let her look away, "Poppy, are you sure you want to do this?" It was as if he read her mind. "Because we don't have to, and I won't do this until you're ready."

Poppy wasn't really sure what to say, she fidgeted with her hands out of nervousness trying to figure out how to answer. "I do, I just…I don't know what I'm doing. I don't want to be a disappointment." She looked down at the floor, not wanting to look him in the eye. This was very awkward for her.

She felt his hand under her chin and she looked up to see that he was smiling, a genuine smile, "Poppy, you could never disappoint me. If you really want to try this, I'll help you, well best I can anyway." He let out a small laugh and so did Poppy. "But do not think we have to or need to do this. It's not what's important to me."

Poppy wanted to cry, how could she have gotten so lucky to find a man like this? He was being so kind and so thoughtful towards the predicament they were in. She threw her arms around him and hugged him tight. He returned her embrace. When she pulled back she had made up her mind, "I want to Branch."

Even though he had told her she didn't have to she saw his eyes light up just a bit. "Okay Poppy," He took her hand and led her down the hallway to the bedroom, "But if at any point you want to stop, just tell me and we'll stop." Poppy nodded as she sat down on the bed, feeling the butterflies in her stomach flapping rapidly. She knew her face was flushed as well, but so was Branch's. She'd never seen his face so red. Now her nervousness was acting up again, the adrenaline from their earlier activity had ceased and now she was left with the aftermath.

Branch sat down on the bed beside her and he put one hand on her face, she was breathing fast and it felt like her heart might beat out of her chest. "Hey, it's okay. We'll go slow." He said to her gently.

Poppy nodded, and Branch leaned towards her. She closed her eyes and their lips met again. This kiss much gentler than the one in the living room. While that kiss had been hot and needy, this was more sensual and intimate.

Ever so slowly Branch maneuvered her until she was lying down with her head on her pillow, all the while continuing to kiss her. When he pulled away Poppy opened her eyes in confusion. Branch was looking at her, "Still okay?"

Poppy nodded, "Yeah, I'm okay." She was still a bit nervous, but she had not changed her mind.

Branch had been right about going slow and Poppy was grateful for it. He didn't rush her and allowed her plenty of time to get used to everything in her own time. And he was just as chiseled under that shirt as she thought he'd be. It'd actually scared her more taking off her own clothes, but he let her do it at her own pace and get comfortable with it. She knew she would have to, but actually doing it was scary. It didn't make her want to stop though.

The only time she truly wanted to hesitate was right before the big act itself. Her only experience with this had been horrifying and painful. Branch had reassured her again that they didn't have to, but Poppy was resolute in her decision. She was not going to stop now. Luckily this time she didn't have to worry about what happened last time since Branch was always prepared. She had no forms of prevention herself since she hadn't had to worry it. But now she might need to start thinking about it.

It wasn't painful like Poppy was expecting. At the beginning it hurt a bit but had quickly subsided into something very different. When it was over Poppy wasn't really sure what to think. She'd enjoyed herself, but so many emotions were running through her that she didn't know which to pin down. Branch lay beside her, barely even breathing hard while she was still struggling a bit to catch her own.

After a few minutes she heard Branch's voice, "Are you okay?"

Poppy nodded, "Uh, yeah I think so. I'm not really sure what I'm feeling right now." She gave a small laugh.

"Give it a few minutes, then tell me if you're okay. Right now, your hormones are racing and you can't think straight." Branch said matter-of-factly.

Poppy wanted to snap back something about hormones, but bit her tongue instead and stayed quiet. Sure enough after a couple of minutes she was back to thinking more clearly, like a fog had been lifted.

"Okay," she started, "I'm better now."

She looked at Branch, and he propped himself up on one elbow to face her, "So…good…bad?"

Poppy thought for a second, "Good, I think. It didn't really hurt, just a lot to get used to I guess."

Branch smiled, "Oh, you think this is going to happen all the time."

Poppy frowned a bit, "Well yeah, isn't that what couples do? That's all I ever see in romantic comedies."

Branch rolled over onto his back and laughed, really laughed, "Oh Poppy, those are so fake. No, that's not what happens. If I did that as much as they did I'd never get anything done."

Poppy laughed too, "Yeah, I guess you're right. But we can do this again right?" She looked at him a bit mischievously.

He looked back up at her and gave her a wry smile, "Yes Pops, but for now let's get some sleep." Branch gave her a quick kiss on the forehead before they both quickly fell asleep.

* * *

The next day Poppy sat next to Satin and Chenille in their morning class together. Satin seemed to be in a better mood and was even nice to Poppy. After their class was over the twins had promised to walk Poppy to her next class so she wouldn't be alone. Before they exited the building Chenille turned to Poppy, "Hey, I need to go to the restroom real quick, do you need to go?"

Poppy shook her head, "No I'm good."

Satin chimed in, "I need to, I'll go with you."

"I'll wait just outside for you guys." Poppy said heading towards the exit.

Chenille gave her questioning look, "Are you sure?"

"Yeah, I'll be fine. I'll just be right out here." Poppy replied with a smile to her friends and left the building.

It was cool outside today, not quite cold but definitely jacket-worthy weather. Poppy breathed in the fresh air and looked up to a cloudless, beautiful blue sky. She began walking but stayed under the cover of the building.

Suddenly she felt a hand on her arm and something hard was nudged against the small of her back while a body crowded close to her. Immediately she knew who it was, and her heartrate skyrocketed. She didn't dare turn around, but she heard a familiar voice in her ear.

"Hello love." Said a British-accented voice. Poppy swallowed audibly, her mouth dry she could barely say in a whisper, "Creek."

She could hear the low laugh come from him, "That's right. I told you I'd find you, now move." He nudged her hard and she started walking. "You dare scream, and you'll regret it." He growled at her. Poppy nodded in understanding, she was too frightened to make any noise at the moment. As she walked he pulled what she was sure a gun away from her back, it would look very suspicious if they walked all over campus that way. He took a few big steps and was up by her side in seconds, so it looked they were friends rather than enemies.

Creek led her across campus to a far parking lot that was almost empty, and Poppy knew her chances of getting away from him were getting slimmer by the second. She didn't really have any options, it was just a big open lot. She could try to run, but she knew Creek would be able to catch so she didn't need to waste her breath on that. Poppy held back the tears as they headed towards a car. Creek opened the back passenger door and shoved her in. In the front were two more guys she didn't recognize, but they were big and Poppy decided quickly she didn't want to get on their bad side. Creek got in on the other side and sat in the back seat with her. He didn't look any different than the last time she'd seen him: tall, not quite as tall as Branch but close, a lanky build, dark-blue eyes, tan but not dark, and blonde hair with purple frosted tips. He looked a bit more menacing now though.

"Phone, now." Creek said to her as the driver pulled the car out of the lot.

Poppy hesitantly handed over her phone, she now had no way to call for help and no one knew where she was.

They were silent for a while as they drove through the city, but Poppy's nerves were not going to allow her to stay quiet.

"So what do you want with me Creek?" She asked him boldly, trying to hide her fear.

He turned to her, his dark-blue eyes looking her up and down. "Oh Poppy, I want you. I told you I would see you again. And now here we are." Creek put his hand on hers, but she promptly pulled away looking disgusted. His face fell, but he quickly regained his composure and put back on his calm façade.

He was looking out the window when he spoke to her again, "You won't get away from me this time Poppy. And that trash you called a boyfriend will never see you again."

This set Poppy's anger aflame. She reached over and slapped him before realizing what she had done. Quickly she retreated back to her side of the car. He turned to face her, his eyes full of anger. She felt the pain before she ever saw him move as he backhanded her.

Creek put his face just inches from her, "Don't you ever hit me again." He said in a menacing tone before sitting back into his own seat.

Poppy looked out the window on her own side and let the tears fall down her face. She had no idea where they were going, and no way to tell anyone. Her fears ate at her, she didn't know if she would ever see her father again, or her friends, or Branch. _'Oh Branch,'_ She thought to herself, _'Please, please find me.'_

* * *

Haha, cliffhanger! Sorry guys, there were lots of good moments in this chapter, but it couldn't last forever. Please leave reviews! I loved writing this chapter.


	19. Chapter 19

A/N: Hey guys! I know it's been a while, but severe writer's block held me captive for a while. Sorry/not sorry for the cliffhanger on the last chapter, but guess what? You won't get any answers in this chapter either, I know I'm evil :) Thank you for all the reviews as always, keep 'em coming!

Warning: Adult content, if you read the last chapter you pretty much know what's going to happen in this chapter. You've been warned, tried my best to keep it PG-13

* * *

Chapter 19

Branch breathed a sigh of relief as he walked out the architecture building. That interview had been brutal, and he was very thankful it was over. He walked across campus trying to get his mind off it, worrying about it would do nothing. His mind wandered to Poppy, which quickly made him forget about the interview. It had been great having her staying with him. He hadn't lived with anyone since before he was 18, and his fear for Poppy had overshadowed any thoughts of this. It could have been a total disaster for all either of them knew, but he was rather enjoying it. And knowing she was safe at all times put his mind at ease. She was a breath of fresh air in his content, but lonely existence. Branch had always known what he wanted, but she had crept in and tilted his whole words on its axis. Not being one for change, she should have annoyed him with her bubbly personality and optimistic attitude. But instead he found himself falling for her more and more every day. The longer she stayed with him, the more he wanted her to stay. He knew that she would eventually move back to her dorm, and he was not looking forward to that day. Maybe he could think of a way to make her stay.

He'd reached the music hall not even remembering walking there. Quickly he found his way to the auditorium and opened the door quietly since Poppy and Aspen had already started their daily practice. Not making a sound he walked down the aisle until he spotted GD and sat next to him.

GD turned to look at him and said in a low voice, "Hey man."

"Hey." Branch replied back.

The two then sat in silence watching Poppy and Aspen sing and dance across the stage. Branch had to admit to himself that he was a bit jealous of the boy, but he didn't, or rather wouldn't, sing or dance so he couldn't say anything. Plus, the duo looked great up there. Poppy was smiling and obviously having a blast. Branch could see Aspen eyeing her with a big smile as well, but at this point he knew the kid was just friendly.

When the two were done singing GD ran up on stage to talk to them while they both caught their breath and got a drink of water. Branch couldn't hear exactly what was said but it seemed like GD was just giving them tips to improve their performance. There wasn't much else they could do in Branch's opinion, they looked amazing up there.

He couldn't wait for her practice to be over though, he had a bit of surprise for her. Nothing romantic and certainly not a date, but something he had been thinking about for a while. It'd been a while since he'd been to the elementary school to see the young girl, and he missed her a bit. And he really wanted Poppy to meet her, to see how she would act around the little girl with her differences. Branch already thought that Poppy was the sweetest girl ever, but if Smidge liked her….

His thoughts were cut off as he suddenly felt a presence next to him. Looking up he saw Poppy smiling at him. He smiled back, wondering how long she had been standing there watching him.

"You done?" He asked her, hoping she was done so they could go.

Poppy nodded, "Yeah, now that Aspen has the dance moves down practices don't need to be as long."

Branch stood up and gestured towards the door, "Ladies first."

Poppy giggled and blushed but led the way out. Branch followed the pink-haired girl out the door and out of the building. The two then headed towards Branch's car.

"I hate to say it Pops, but you and Aspen actually looked really good on stage together." Branch turned to look at her as he spoke. He did mean it, he couldn't wait to see the actual performance.

Poppy smiled at him, "Thanks, he's been working really hard to get those dance moves down."

"Yeah, he's finally getting there." Branch agreed, "Good thing too since your performance is next weekend."

He heard Poppy groan loudly next to him, "Don't remind me, I'm already nervous enough."

Branch chuckled as he opened the passenger door of his car for her to get in, "You'll be fine." He closed the door behind her and headed around to the driver's side. He knew Poppy would be fine up there, she was an amazing singer and just as good a dancer. As long as she didn't get stage fright she wouldn't have any problems.

Branch got into his car and started it up. He pulled out of the parking lot and headed towards the elementary school.

"Where are we going?" He heard Poppy ask him from across the seat.

He could see her in his periphery, "You'll see," Branch said. He knew this probably wouldn't be a big surprise for Poppy, but it meant a lot to him. Next to GD and Poppy, Smidge was the only other person he really cared for. Even though he had no true relation to the young girl she felt like a little sister to him. He hadn't had any siblings, so this was as close as he could get.

They were both lost in their own thoughts as he drove, like they always did. Finally though, they reached the school.

"We're here." Branch said. He could see Poppy coming back to reality and looking around confused. This was not something he told just anyone about and he hoped she would be open-minded. He knew this wasn't her kind of neighborhood, but she was rarely ever judgmental and gave most anything a chance.

"What are we doing here?" She asked him, sounding a bit worried.

Branch unlatched his seatbelt, "I want you to meet someone." He replied to her before exiting the car and walking around to open the door for her.

He could still see the skepticism on her face as she got out of the car. She grabbed the hand he offered her and allowed him to pull her out of the car before closing the door behind her. Poppy walked behind him as they entered the school and continued down the hallway. Branch knew exactly where he was headed, and it was the only lit classroom in the hallway.

When they walked in Branch immediately spotted Smidge and not a second later the girl saw him. She began running towards him and yelled, "Branch!" as she headed for him with her arms out.

Smidge wrapped her arms around him when she made it to them and Branch gave her a small hug in return. He wasn't much of a hugger, but Smidge and Poppy were his exceptions.

"Hey Smidge." He said to her.

Then Smidge stepped back and put her hand on hips while giving Branch a begrudging look, "Where've you been? You haven't been here in weeks, what gives?"

Branch was a bit abashed a this, he knew he hadn't been around as much as he normally was, but he'd had a lot going on. Hopefully the little girl wasn't too angry with him.

"Sorry Smidge, I've had a lot going on. But I'm here now, and I've got someone I'd like you to meet." He gestured to Poppy, "This is Poppy."

He turned to look at her, seeing that she was smiling at Smidge. "Hi Smidge, it's nice to meet you."

Smidge didn't say anything at first, which made Branch a bit anxious. This girl always spoke her mind no matter who she was speaking to. He could see her looking over Poppy, assessing her. At this point he had no clue what she was going to say, and he was beginning to wonder if this was a bad idea.

Finally the young girl spoke, looking at him, "This is your girlfriend?"

Branch nodded, "Yes, she is."

He saw Smidge turn back towards Poppy and just hoped if she was going to say anything indecent she would at least be civil about it. Branch could see that Poppy was getting uncomfortable being stared at, but she didn't turn away and instead held her ground.

After a brief silence Smidge nodded, "I like her, the pink hair is different. And she's pretty, good job Branch. Now come on, I have homework." And with that Smidge turned on her heel and headed back to her homework.

Branch exhaled a breath of relief, thankful all had gone well. He turned to Poppy then and smiled at her, "And that is Smidge."

Poppy simply nodded and followed him towards the table where Smidge sat. He probably needed to explain now, it was only fair. "I've been tutoring kids here for years after school. Smidge is in the system, like a lot of kids here, and you heard how different she is. So when she started needing help, she just kind of clung to me. She's a really sweet kid, just has a thick outer shell."

"Kind of like someone else I know." Poppy nudged him with her elbow. He gave her a small smile before sitting down to help Smidge with her homework.

While he was helping Smidge Poppy was working on her own homework. The girls conversed just a little, but mostly Poppy stayed quiet. Branch knew she was out of her element here but was glad to see she wasn't running. She had probably never been in a neighborhood like this, nor seen kids like these. He could feel how tense she was, and she sat about as close as she could to him. But after a while she relaxed a bit.

After about an hour they had all of Smidge's homework complete and her foster parents would be there soon to pick her up. Branch and Poppy were about to leave as Smidge gave him a small hug. She then tugged on his shirt sleeve indicating she had something to say to him. He knelt down to see what she wanted, "What's up?" He asked her.

In a whisper just loud enough for him to hear she said, "You're much happier with Poppy around, you should marry her." Then she smiled at him. Branch could feel the color flood his face and knew how red he must be. He knew he had to say something in return before leaving, but all words had left him. After just a moment though his mind began working again, "You know, that's not a bad idea Smidge."

He then turned back to Poppy, hoping his blush wasn't too obvious. If she noticed she didn't say anything, but instead turned to Smidge and said, "Bye Smidge, it was nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet you too Poppy, you should come back some time." Smidge replied, and then ran out the door.

Branch and Poppy headed out of the school as well, but at a much slower pace than the younger girl.

They got into Branch's car then, and he began driving home. "So, what'd you think?" He asked her, truly wanting her opinion.

"I like her, I didn't know you tutored little kids though." Poppy replied.

Branch had wanted to tell her before, but the information had been pushed back for more pressing matters. "With all that's been going on I just didn't think about telling you. Plus, it was kind of my secret."

The pink-haired girl gave him a smile, "I think it's sweet, who knew the old grump had a soft spot for kids."

"Now you can't go around having everyone think I'm nice, so keep this between us please." Branch replied, he knew she wouldn't tell. As much as she did talk, she was good at keeping secrets.

Poppy raised her hands indicating defeat, "Okay, I won't tell anyone. But it's still really nice of you."

Branch shrugged, not really feeling comfortable with the compliment. He was not what most people would call a 'nice guy.' Most people actually didn't think too highly of him, but he didn't really care either. "Kids needs more help than any of us, if I can help I'm going to."

They then fell back in their regular driving silence. It was nice to know Poppy approved, and now he had someone to talk to about it. Not that it had ever been a burden on him, it was something he liked doing. Kids were their future, and he knew how cliché that sounded, but it was true. He knew all the kids wouldn't make something of themselves, but if he could help even one make a good life for themselves then he could feel good about himself.

It wasn't long before they reached the apartment. Poppy headed off to the bedroom while Branch headed to the kitchen to get dinner ready. Just a moment later Poppy reappeared and literally 'flopped' onto the couch and turned on the tv to one of her sitcoms. Branch hadn't really watched them before Poppy, but he did find them humorous and a good way to pass the time when there wasn't much else to do.

"Whatcha making?" Poppy asked from her spot on the couch a few minutes later.

"Porkchops, grilled veggies, rolls, and of course mac and cheese." Branch smiled at her, knowing how much they both enjoyed mad and cheese.

She gave him a smile in return, "You had me at mac and cheese." Then she giggled.

Branch shook his head at her and smiled to himself. This girl was everything he had ever wanted. Her optimistic attitude should completely clash with his pessimistic one, but she was smart enough and witty enough to keep up with him. No, she wasn't quite as intelligent as he was, but she could be easily if she studied more. But she was smart in her own right, and she could stand up to him. That was something almost no one tried, and he liked it that way. When it came to her though, he appreciated her bravery and challenge to him. In fact, he liked it almost too much and he'd had to hold himself back on those impulses several times. He knew Poppy's past and didn't want to scare her off, and he loved her way too much to do anything to jeopardize that. Branch would wait forever if he had to and wouldn't do anything unless she was ready.

Before he knew it, dinner was done and they could finally eat. He looked over to see that Poppy was completely engrossed in her show, so he made their plates and headed to the living room.

"Dinner?" He said questioningly setting the plate down in front of her on the coffee table.

Poppy looked down at her plate and her face lit up slightly, "Branch, this looks so good, like always." She leaned up and they shared a quick kiss before Branch sat down next to her own with his own plate. As they ate in silence they watched tv. Poppy was right, it was good. But Branch already knew that, years of being alone he'd had to learn the skill. He wanted badly to teach her, but after a few failed attempts and an almost fire he'd given up. She could make cereal and use the microwave, but that was it.

When she was done, Poppy took her plate to the sink and Branch could hear her cleaning up the kitchen. He'd told her several times he could do it, but she'd insisted she could do it. "Do you want any more?" She asked him.

He shook his head and swallowed his mouthful before replying, "Nah, I'm good."

Branch continued to eat his dinner as he could hear her putting away the leftovers and cleaning. He finished his plate within a few minutes, walked into the kitchen and put his sink in the plate. Poppy promptly began washing them. Branch stood there for only a few seconds but watched her intently. He could get used to this, Poppy standing there doing the dishes after he had cooked dinner, as if they were married. The idea both frightened and excited him. Letting an impulse take him over he stepped behind her and put his hands on either side of the counter, so that his chest was almost completely pressed up against her back. He leaned down so that his mouth was close to her ear and said quietly, "I keep telling you you don't have to do that."

He could feel her stiffen in response, but from nervousness or something else he wasn't quite sure.

"And I keep telling you that if you're going to cook then I'm going to clean." Her voice was a bit shaky, but she didn't seem scared. Nervous or anxious perhaps, but not scared. That was a good sign. Branch didn't want her scared of him, he knew how he looked on the outside. But he was very glad she had decided to look past that until he'd finally broken down and had fallen for the girl. He wanted to tell her badly but couldn't find the words. Feelings were not his forte unless it was anger. That was easy to show, but to show something as delicate as love was a whole other factor. Of course, he was pretty sure she loved him back. Maybe she would say it first, and they could move on with this.

Branch's eyes widened a bit as he realized suddenly that his body was about to betray him. He needed to get out of there before he really did freak her out. With her being to close to him, and with no room to escape his body was trying to react accordingly. He gave her a quick kiss on the neck and stepped back, thankful her back was to him so she couldn't see how ashamed he looked. He wasn't a damn teenager any more and he needed to act like it. Thinking of something else he quickly said, "Alright, then I'm gong to take a shower." And he promptly walked out of the kitchen and into the bathroom.

After walking into the bathroom and closing the door, Branch put his back against the door and breathed a sigh of relief. He'd finally gotten himself under control. Slowly he walked towards the mirror and put his hands on the counter, studying his reflection. He was very flushed, but otherwise it was the same old face he saw every day. Branch knew he was at least decent looking, since he could always feel girls watching him. But he knew what was underneath, and he had a hard time seeing any beauty past that. His black hair was standing up spiked like always, and he'd almost forgotten he'd worn nice clothes today. He almost looked like someone Poppy should be going out with this, rather than the real man she was actually dating.

Finally, he looked away from the mirror, took off his clothes, and took a shower like he was supposed to be doing. To get Poppy off his mind, he thought back to his interview earlier that day. Branch was sure he did well, but there's always that self-doubt. And the interviewers had given nothing away, so he couldn't tell how well he did or didn't do.

It wasn't long before he was done showering. He got out and dried off and wrapped the towel around his waist. He then exited the bathroom and headed to the bedroom. Making sure the room was empty he got dressed quickly in a t-shirt and sweats. Branch ran a hand through his hair so it spiked up. He then headed out to the living room where Poppy still sat watching tv. Branch sat in his chair, grabbed his bag from the floor and pulled out his textbook and notebook to study. He studied almost every night, it made it easier than trying to power-study the night before an exam. He'd started this habit in high school and it had been easy to transition it to college. There were several times he'd seen Poppy trying to catch up the night before a test, and some days it was just hard to watch. He still couldn't get her to study every night, but she'd gotten to where she would study a few days a week. But she did keep up with her homework and her grades stayed a B average, so he couldn't ask too much more of her.

"Oh yeah, how did your architecture thing go today?" Poppy suddenly asked out of nowhere.

Branch looked up, surprised that she remembered. "It was an interview Pops, and I think it went well." He sighed then and sat up, "But I'm not sure, those guys showed less emotion than I do so I couldn't tell if they liked me or not."

He could see Poppy's eyes widen, "It's possible to show less emotion?"

Branch frowned at this and narrowed his eyes at her. He wanted to say something but before he could reply Poppy smiled at him and said, "I'm just kidding. But from what I can tell you really know what you're talking about with this architecture stuff, so I think you'll get the job."

All Poppy had to do was smile and Branch knew he couldn't stay angry. A small smile crossed his face, "Thanks, I hope so. But I'm not going to hold my breath either. There's a few other students interested, and they're just as good as me." Branch then went back to studying, he already knew the material but wanted to double check everything.

Just a minute later he heard Poppy get up and watched her walk to the bathroom. The shower turned on promptly and Branch tried not to think about it. That was the last place his mind needed to go, and for now he needed to study.

Unfortunately, there wasn't much new material to go over, so his studying didn't last long. Sighing, he put his textbook and notebook now and pulled out his book to read instead.

He heard the water turn off after a time, and then the hair dryer start up after a few more minutes. Branch could barely concentrate on his book at this point. He was having trouble getting her off of his mind, well inappropriately anyway. Branch knew better and wanted to smack himself for it. He did his best to put his mind back into his book and succeeded until Poppy walked back into the living room.

She sat down on the couch before asking, "You're done already?"

Branch looked up at her, hoping his face didn't show any trace of his thoughts, "Yeah, I didn't have much tonight. Just a few notes to go over. Don't you have any?"

He saw Poppy shrug, "I finished most of it while you were working with Smidge. I just have some left, but I can do that between classes tomorrow."

Branch didn't understand this at all, he would have just gotten it over with and gave her a look that said so, "Why don't you just finish it?"

Poppy sighed loudly and looked irritated, "Because I don't wanna do it tonight and I have time tomorrow. Is that okay with you dad?"

Branch rolled his eyes and returned to his book. That was just one of the things he loved about Poppy, her smart mouth. And that's when his thoughts went right back into the gutter. He did his best to go back to his book, though at this point it seemed impossible. He'd been with Poppy a few months and basically living with her for the past week, but other than hand holding and kissing there wasn't much physical contact. Normally he could care less, but with Poppy it was different.

He visibly shook himself to rid the thoughts. Luckily Poppy hadn't seen him do this. He then saw Poppy get up and head to the bathroom. A few minutes later she returned and stopped when she reached his chair. Branch looked up and could smell the mint from the toothpaste on her. "Going to bed already? Isn't it still kind of early?" He asked her, wondering why she was heading to bed this soon.

Poppy just shrugged, "I'm tired anyway." She then leaned down and gave him a quick kiss. As she turned to head to the bedroom she said, "Good night, love you."

Branch froze, and all the color drained from his face, but slowly turned his head to look at Poppy. Her back was too him, frozen in place. It was obvious she hadn't meant to say it, but rather had merely slipped out as if she was saying good night to a close relative. His heart began to race, and he put his book down on the floor before getting up from his chair and took the few strides he needed to reach Poppy. She still had her back to him as he stopped behind her. Slowly she turned to face him, and her brown eyes looked up to meet his. She looked absolutely terrified and on the verge of tears.

He had to ask, even though his heart felt like it would pound out of his chest, "What did you say?"

Branch knew he must look menacing to her seeing the nervousness in her face. She was damn near shaking.

"I didn't mean to say it, it just came out I swear." Poppy tried to explain, but Branch just needed to know if she had meant what she said or not.

He put his hands on her shoulders and could see her eyes getting red from the unshed tears so there was no time to delay. "You didn't mean it, or you didn't mean to say it?" He had to know, he needed to know she loved him back.

Branch was almost shaking himself at this point but made himself stand steady for Poppy's sake. She was obviously nervous enough for the both of them.

Finally, she said very quietly, "I didn't mean to say it."

Branch had to look away from and breathed a sigh of relief, it was the answer he was hoping for. But he had to make sure of her answer before he removed his hands from her. His sky-blue eyes met hers again as he said, "But you did mean it." He wasn't asking, but rather stating.

Poppy nodded in return and a tear fell down her face. Branch couldn't stand to see her cry, so he removed his hands from her shoulders and wrapped his arms around her shoulders so that one hand could stroke her hair and the other lay pressed against her back. Her display of emotion was almost enough to break his heart. "Oh Poppy, please don't cry." He said to her. Branch could feel her take a few deep breaths and then wrapped her arms around his waist.

As they stood there Branch continued to stroke her hair. He was trying to come up with something to say to her, but all he could think was emotional nonsense which was not his style. Finally, he just stopped thinking about it and let the words come out as they would, "I know I'm not the easiest man to deal with, and I don't do the 'feelings' things, but you are the one person I can be myself around. I don't have to hide anything from you, you've accepted everything I've told you and shown you, and never once have you looked at me like I was trash like most people have. I love you Poppy, I have for a while now."

Poppy looked up at him then and he turned his gaze to her, "You have?" She asked as if confused by his statement.

Branch nodded in confirmation, "And I'm guessing you've felt the same way?"

Poppy nodded, "I was just so afraid I would scare you off, I didn't want to say anything. And it really did just slip out of my mouth."

Branch was done talking, he had gotten the answers he wanted. He loved this girl and she loved him in return. Even though he was no longer a teenager his hormones took over and he followed his instincts. He put one hand behind her head to hold her in place and pressed his lips against hers without warning. She instantly reacted kissing him back and ran her hands through his hair. He let out an involuntary groan at this and his free hand grabbed her waist in response. Seeing that he wasn't scaring her Branch took it a step further and she allowed his tongue to part her lips. Poppy gasped at this and Branch grabbed a handful of hair, pulling on it lightly. He didn't want to hurt her, but she didn't seem bothered by this. He then took a step forward, and another, and another until Poppy's back hit the wall. Not hard of course, just enough to hold her place. They had never taken it this far before, and he was having a hard time keeping his composure. He knew he should stop, but Poppy obviously didn't want to either.

They parted for just a second to catch their breath before continuing. Poppy was running her hands over his arms and back and then back to his hair. His hands ran all over her as well. He just couldn't seem to get enough of her. His mind kept telling him he should stop, but unfortunately his body wasn't listening so well. He knew Poppy could tell exactly what he wanted, there was no hiding it now. That's when his thoughts traveled back to last week when Poppy had told him what had happened to her. He did not want to pressure her, but at this point if she didn't say no he didn't think he could stop himself. He loved this girl, very deeply. He'd never felt this way before, with anyone. If she wanted this, he would do his best to make sure she knew he truly cared for her and wouldn't do anything to jeopardize that. And if she wanted to wait that was fine too. He would wait as long as she wanted. But finally he had to pull away, the pressure inside him was too great and he had to give her the option before they both did something they might regret.

Poppy met his gaze, and they were both panting from their activity. Branch looked at her and was hoping she would understand how much she meant to him. "Poppy," he began, "Are you sure you want to do this? Because we don't have to, and I won't do this until you're ready." He meant every word.

He could see Poppy nervously fidgeting, this was not a topic she was comfortable with and Branch couldn't blame her. She was young and the only experience she'd had was mortifying. Hell if he were her, he'd stay away from men completely.

"I do, I just…. I don't know what I'm doing. I don't want to be a disappointment." She replied and looked down at the floor. _That's what she was worried about? Being a disappointment?_ Branch had to stop him from laughing out loud.

He put his hand under chin, made her meet his gaze, and gave her his most genuine smile, "Poppy, you could never disappoint me. If you really want to try this, I'll help you, well best I can anyway." He laughed lightly, and Poppy copied the action. Branch was trying to make this less awkward for her. "But do not think we have to or need to do this. It's not what's important to me." If Poppy said no, then he would go with that. No way would he ruin this with her for something as simple as sex. As much as he wanted to right now, he'd do whatever she said.

Then suddenly Poppy threw her arms him, hugging him tight. It caught him off guard a bit, but he hugged her in return. She pulled back from him after a minute and said, "I want to Branch."

His heart instantly began pounding again and he could feel his eyes dilate with excitement. He had never been this excited about a girl, but he had never cared for a girl this much either. "Okay Poppy," Branch took her hand and began leading her down the hallway to the bedroom, "But if at any point you want to stop, just tell me and we'll stop." He secretly hoped she wouldn't, but the second she told him to he would stop immediately. Poppy nodded in understanding as she sat down on the bed.

Branch could hear his pulse in his ears and could feel the heat in his face. Poppy's face was flushed as well, and she looked beautiful. Her long pink hair was down, and she was looking at him with as much longing as he felt for her. He sat down on the bed beside her and was trying to think of the best way to go about this. From her past technically she wasn't a virgin, but he knew this would basically be her first time and he didn't want to ruin it. He put one hand on her face, trying to reassure her and said to her as gently as he could, "Hey, it's okay. We'll go slow."

Poppy nodded again, and Branch leaned towards her, closing his eyes before his lips met hers. He kept this kiss much gentler than the last, and he could think again knowing he had to do this right. Slowly he was able to move them until Poppy's head rest on her pillow and he had propped himself over her. She seemed to be okay with this, but he decided to make sure. He pulled away and waited for her to look at him before asking, "Still okay?"

"Yeah, I'm okay." She replied. Branch could see her quivering slightly with nervousness but proceeded slowly just as he promised.

* * *

Afterwards Branch lay beside Poppy, his breathing was a bit labored but not as much as Poppy's. Of course he worked out much more than she did. He felt amazing though and had not felt one bit of disappointment towards Poppy throughout the experience. She'd been shy, but that was to be expected. Not once had she told him to stop though, and at this moment he didn't think he could love her any more. She was so brave and so kind and so…so…Branch couldn't even come up more words to describe besides 'amazing' and more cliché terms. But he did need to make sure she was alright now that it was over, and the adrenaline was wearing off.

"Are you okay?" He asked her.

"Uh, yeah I think so. I'm not really sure what I'm feeling right now." She gave a small laugh.

Branch really didn't find the humor in this, so his brain went to the analytical side of things instead. "Give it a few minutes, then tell me if you're okay. Right now your hormones are racing and you can't think straight." Wait, did he really just mention hormones to a girl? Was he really that stupid? Perhaps all the blood hadn't returned to his brain yet and his idiot neurons were all that were working right now. He truly expected Poppy to reach over and smack him, but she didn't, thank God.

Thankfully after a few minutes she responded, "Okay, I'm better now."

Now Branch had to know what she'd thought of it. He propped himself up on elbow to face her, "So…good…bad?"

He could see her think about it before answering, "Good I think. It didn't really hurt, just a lot to get used to I guess."

 _Get used to huh?_ Branch thought to himself. Was this girl really going to want to do this again. He smiled at her, "Oh, you think this is going to happen all the time."

A frown appeared on Poppy's face, as if disappointed, "Well yeah, isn't that what couples do? That's all I ever see in romantic comedies."

Branch rolled over onto his back and for the first time really laughed. Oh this poor girl, all her thoughts of couples had come from movies, no wonder she had higher expectations. It's amazing she had stayed with him so long after watching those, but he was grateful for it. "Oh Poppy, those are so fake. No, that's not what happens. If I did that as much as they did I'd never get anything done."

He heard Poppy laugh too, "Yeah, I guess you're right. But we can do this again right?" Branch looked up to see her giving him a mischievous look. What had he done? Just one time and she was already talking about doing it again. Could she impress him anymore?

Branch gave her a wry smile in return, "Yes Pops, but for now let's get some sleep." He gave her a quick kiss on the forehead before taking her in his arms and promptly falling asleep.

XXXFFFXXX

Branch didn't feel 100% comfortable leaving Poppy in the care of Satin and Chenille. He knew Chenille would take care of her but wasn't so sure about Satin. She had seemed nicer towards Poppy lately, but he still wasn't sure about her.

He was walking out of his class that morning when he felt his phone start ringing in his pocket. It was Chenille, what did she want?

"What?" He answered, in a harsher tone than he had meant.

"Uh Branch…" she sounded nervous and his heartrate sped up.

"Chenille, what happened?" He began to panic, not wanting to hear what he knew she was about to say.

"Um…Poppy's gone." His blood turned to ice, _No,no,no_ he mentally screamed.

"How could you let that happen?!" Branch's anger flowed, he knew he shouldn't have left her with the twins.

"I swear I didn't mean to, we were gone for just a minute and when we went to find her she wasn't there. She isn't answering her cell…" He hung up, he didn't want to hear any more. He had to find Poppy.

He promptly dialed GD who picked up on the second ring, "What's up?"

"Poppy's missing, meet me at my car." Branch hung up his phone before hearing GD's reply. Keeping his phone in his hand he went to a new app he'd downloaded. Unbeknownst to Poppy he had hidden a tracker in both her phone and jacket. If Creek had taken her no doubt he would get rid of her cell, that's what any reasonable kidnapper would do.

It took just a moment but sure enough 2 red dots showed up on the map on his screen and a look of determination crossed his face, "Gotcha."


	20. Chapter 20

**A/N: Hey guys! I got this new chapter up quicker than expected, but I'm finally found the motivation to really start writing again. But the next few chapters will be a bit shorter than what I would normally write. Thank you for all the reviews! By the way, i loved all the reactions to Branch putting a tracker on Poppy lol.**

 **Anyway, enjoy!**

* * *

Chapter 20

Poppy continued to look out the window as the streets passed by. Creek had not tried to talk to her again, which she was grateful for. She had no interest in hearing his voice or even looking at him. She just wanted this nightmare to be over, and as much as she hoped it wasn't real she knew the reality that laid before her.

As they drove Poppy noticed the scenery outside her window was getting more questionable. They had went from the nice streets around campus to neighborhoods she wouldn't dare step foot in by herself. The houses were getting smaller and older looking, some looked more like glorified shacks than actual houses. Many had chain link fences around them that had signs that read 'Keep Out' or 'No Trespassing.' There were people out walking, but at this moment Poppy was sort of glad to be in the car rather than outside. She wanted to ask where they were going but didn't want to hear that British voice any more than she had to. Luckily her surroundings kept her mind from thinking about what Creek possibly wanted to do with her, even if only for a short time.

Not much longer and they had pulled into the cracked concrete driveway of an obviously abandoned house. It was a small house, maybe a two bedroom, that looked like it was previously blue, but years of no attention had left the paint faded and peeling. From what she could see most of the windows had been busted out as well. The front door though, had recently been replaced. It looked to be a heavy, solid, wooden door. No way was that as old as the house itself. She would do just about anything to not go in that house, let alone get out of this car. It was a very shady neighborhood and she wasn't sure which was scarier: it or Creek.

Poppy swallowed audibly before she heard the door to her left open and slam shut. Sure enough a few seconds later Creek was at her door, opening it. She did not want to get out of this car.

"Get out of the car Poppy." She looked up to see Creek giving her a fake smile. Poppy hesitated, but knew she had no choice in the matter. Ever so slowly she got out of the car. The second she was out Creek slammed the door behind her and grabbed her arm hard, leading her towards the front door of the creepy, old house.

"Where are we?" She asked, feeling her heart rate starting to increase.

Creek slowed his pace and turned back to her, almost dumbfounded. "You don't know where we are?"

Poppy shook her head, not quite understanding. Then Creek laughed, making her even more confused.

"Oh, Poppy," Creek started, "Of course he wouldn't show you."

"Who wouldn't show me what?" She asked him. ' _What the hell is he talking about?'_

"This is that piece of trash's old house. I'm not surprised he wouldn't bring you here. He'd rather keep you out of his past, it's pretty sketchy."

Poppy blew out of her breath quickly, both irritated at what he called Branch and his insinuation that she didn't know Branch. "You're one to talk." She muttered quietly to herself. But she did take another quick look around. Unfortunately, Creek was right in a way, Branch didn't talk much about his past. From what she had heard though, mostly from Guy, this could easily be where Branch had lived as a young child. And Creek had no true reason to lie to her, she'd have to confirm it with Branch, if she ever saw him again that is.

Creek then dragged her up the three steps onto the porch and through the front door, his henchmen followed behind him. The light in the room was dim, but Poppy could easily see. The walls were a pale yellow, and just like the outside of the house, was in obvious need of new paint. There was a white ceiling fan too, thought it was stationary, and the ceiling was yellowed from years of smoking inside. The floors were hardwood but scuffed from furniture being moved across it. To her right was the kitchen, but there was a half-wall blocking most of her view. But none of this is what caught her attention.

She was let go and Creek motioned her towards a chair in the middle of the room. But she hesitated when she saw who stood just feet from the chair. She instantly recognized the sandy-brown hair and green eyes that she had been singing with the past few weeks.

"Aspen?!" Poppy exclaimed in surprise.

Aspen gave her a small smile, "Hello Poppy."

"What are you doing here?" She asked, not believing what she was seeing. Aspen couldn't possibly be working with this psycho.

"He works for me." Poppy heard Creek's British accent behind her. She turned to look at him, he wore a smug look on his face. Then she turned back to Aspen, who just looked neutral with no obvious emotion on his face.

"Seriously?! How could you do this to me?" She wanted to cry, Aspen and her weren't exactly friends but he seemed to be just a nice guy. This is her punishment for being too trusting, she should have known after what Creek had done to her.

Aspen's voice interrupted her internal beration of herself, "Sorry Poppy, but money talks. I've got bills and Creek pays well." His face stayed neutral even as Poppy stared a hole through him. If looks could kill, Aspen would be dead.

Tears began to run freely down Poppy's face, she had tried to hold them back. She had felt rage and hurt before, but this was complete betrayal. At the moment she couldn't even find the words to describe how she felt. It was at this point though that Creek grabbed her shoulder and shoved her towards the chair. She got the message and sat in the chair, but huffed and crossed both her arms and her legs as she did so. Poppy could see everyone in the room. Aspen was closest to her being just a few feet away, Creek stood about ten feet in front of her, and his two henchmen stood on either side of the front door as if she was really going to try and escape.

"So, what now?" She directed her question towards Creek. Honestly, she didn't want to know his plan, but she really had nothing to lose now. He had her, and there was nothing she could do.

Creek shrugged, "I guess I can tell you, won't do any harm. First, Aspen is going to take you away while my friends and I," he gestured to the two men at the door who both cracked their knuckles, "stay here and take care of Branch. Can't have him running after you, now can we?"

Poppy's brows furrowed in confusion, how would Branch even find her here. She didn't even know if he knew she was missing yet. The probability of that was pretty low, but still. Before she could voice the question though, Creek took a few steps closer to her. "If I've found out anything about Branch, it's that he would take any measures to keep you safe. There's no doubt in my mind he would put a tracker on your phone. Unfortunately for him though that's going to be his downfall."

Creek took Poppy's phone from his pocket and threw it on the floor. "He'll track that right to us and be none the wiser." He walked towards her and leaned down so his face was inches from her's and his arms were on either side of her on the chair. "You will never see him again. From now on it'll just be you and me." Surprising Poppy he put one hand on the back of her head holding her in place and kissed her. Poppy was shocked and now very angry but didn't kiss him back. She fought back the urge to smack him, she didn't think he'd truly hurt her, but she knew he would slap her back again if she were to hit him.

He pulled away and stood back up, she wanted to spit and remove the taste from her lips but wasn't going to give Creek that satisfaction. "Oh Poppy, you'll be mine again one day." Creek said to her and gave her a malicious smile. Poppy just glared at him, but inside she was panicking. She had no way to warn Branch, he was strong but even he couldn't take on three men. And as positive as she was trying to be, at the moment she saw no way out of this. She might really never see Branch again. This just added to the tears that were still streaming down her face.

Creek gave a small, almost imperceptible nod to Aspen. She then felt a hand grab her arm and she looked up to see Aspen. His grip was much gentler than Creek's had been. "Come on Poppy, it's time to go." He said to her. Poppy allowed him to lift her up from the chair and put her in front of him as they headed towards the door. She could feel Creek's eyes on her as they left but she refused to look back. Poppy didn't dare try to run as they headed towards the car, guaranteed at least one of those men had a gun and though she'd rather be dead than with Creek she didn't feel like being shot today.

Aspen opened the back door of the car for her and she got in. He closed the door gently behind her and walked around the car to get into the driver's seat. As soon as they started driving Poppy couldn't hold back any more, she began weeping heavily. This continued for several minutes, but Aspen never said a word to her. Finally, she was able to catch her breath again and the tears stopped, but she could feel how red her eyes and face were and she had a massive headache.

"How could you do this to me you traitor!?" She screamed at Aspen. He turned to look at her in the rearview mirror, unfazed. "I am sorry Poppy, but I told you money pays."

Poppy was almost shaking with anger and hurt at this point, "Don't you know how evil that psycho is? Did he tell you what he did to me? To my life?!"

"I don't know his personal affairs, all I do is what he tells me. Personally, no I don't like him. We aren't friends, this is simply business." Apparently, that was all the explanation she was going to get.

She huffed and fell back into her seat, crossing her arms over her chest. That's when she realized she hadn't looked out the window once since they had gotten into the car. The scenery outside was getting less sketchy as they drove back into the more popular parts of the city. The buildings outside were starting to look familiar again. It didn't take but a few more minutes of driving for her to figure out where they were going. Then the tears started again.

* * *

As much as she didn't want to be, she had been right. Aspen pulled into the parking lot of the airport and found a spot not too far from the building. With it being a week day, the parking lot wasn't packed. Then Poppy had a thought.

"How are we going to go anywhere? I don't have any of my ID." Her hope flared, maybe this could keep her safe just long enough to be found.

Then Aspen pulled something out of his pocket and held up an ID and passport for her to see. Her picture was on both but not her name. Poppy's hope faded as she stared at the two objects. Then he handed them to her, "Now when we get in there you're going to show these and not get upset. I don't want to have to do anything 'drastic.' Got it?" Aspen said all this calmly, but the way he said 'drastic' had Poppy's skin crawling. She simply nodded and took them from Aspen.

He then got out and opened Poppy's door for her. After getting out Aspen closed it and they started walking towards the front doors of the airport. Once inside she followed Aspen up to the front desk. He took care of all the flight and arrangements and had Poppy show the clerk her ID when he asked for it. She knew defying him would do nothing, so didn't bother fighting.

They walked towards the security line after getting their tickets. Aspen went through first and the alarm went off. A guard came up to him and they spoke in such quiet voices that Poppy couldn't hear them. The guard then escorted Aspen to a private room and another guard ushered Poppy through. She thought this might be her chance to run. Quickly she looked around the vast room but saw a man in a suit in a corner by himself staring at her. Realizing that this man was probably working for Creek as well she went through the metal detector which of course didn't go off, she had nothing on her. Creek had taken everything from her except the clothes she wore. She then sat down on a bench to wait for Aspen's return.

He did return a minute later, and she followed him to their gate, which wasn't boarding so they sat in the waiting room. There was coffee and pastries for the waiting passengers, but in that moment Poppy could barely stand to look at food. She felt too sick to her stomach, she didn't know what was going to happen to her or to Branch.

Fortunately, they didn't have to wait long, and they were allowed to board. Poppy wasn't sure exactly where they were going, it was some place foreign she hadn't been before. Of course Creek would send her somewhere she had no ties. There would be no one to help her once she got on that plane.

Poppy looked around once more and truly thought about running, but obviously Aspen could see right through her. He grabbed her arm and looked her in the eye, "Don't even think about it. I told you, I don't want to hurt you, but you'll leave me no choice if you try to run." It was at this point he opened his jacket to reveal what she'd been afraid of. He had a handgun tucked safely away, she wasn't sure how he'd gotten through security with it but perhaps Creek's money paid for more than his bills.

She had nothing to say about it, so she just nodded and he let her arm go. The two then proceeded to the podium where another airport attendant stood waiting to check their tickets before boarding. This didn't take but a few seconds and she began following Aspen down the tunnel that would lead them onto the airplane. Before she got a few feet in it though she heard someone yell her name. She turned back, but Aspen grabbed her before she could walk away.

"Come on." He whispered loudly to her. Poppy hesitated but had no choice but to go with him. She could still hear someone calling her as they walked, but it was too late. They were on the plane, and within minutes the tube that connected the plane to the airport disconnected and Poppy was alone with Aspen except for a few other passengers. She had absolutely no help now, Creek had won. None of her friends knew where she was, her father wouldn't know either. All hope for her rescue was gone unless Branch could magically find her. But she knew she wouldn't be seeing him again. There was no way out of this for her. It wouldn't be long before Creek would follow them, and she would be stuck with him. She wanted to cry again, but her eyes were dry and hurt from how much she had already cried.

Not knowing what else to do Poppy put her head back against the headrest on her seat and closed her eyes, hoping her dreams would keep her from this waking nightmare.


	21. Chapter 21

**A/N: Hey guys! Here's the next chapter. I loved everyone's reviews from the last chapter, I enjoy throwing twists in my stories. Keeps it more interesting if you ask me. And I loved that a lot of you guys were suspicious of Aspen before, it was so hard not to say anything about it. But if you thought that chapter was dark please brace yourself for this chapter. It is much darker, and many of you might hate me after reading it. You'll see why.**

 **Warning: Cussing and extreme violence, please proceed with caution.**

* * *

Chapter 21

Branch didn't have to wait long at his car for GD to arrive. They both got in the car quickly and Branch began driving to his apartment, not bothering with speed limits.

"What happened?" GD asked him.

"Poppy's missing, I know that asshole has her. We've got to get her back GD." Branch replied, his hands so tight on the steering wheel his knuckles were white.

"How are you going to find her?"

Branch handed him phone, which still had the tracking on display. "Of course you would put trackers on her." GD didn't bother giving Branch the phone back, better to let him focus on driving.

It didn't take long for Branch to reach his apartment. Once inside Branch went straight to his room to grab a few things. He couldn't get his heart to stop pounding, if anything happened to her he'd kill Creek. Branch wanted to kill him anyway, but it wasn't worth the jail time.

He yelled out to GD who was in the living room, "Call Suki, Poppy has two trackers on her. If they take her phone from her I want each of us to follow one. I'd rather Suki stay with you."

GD walked into his room as he found what he was looking for. "Don't you need someone to be with you? Just in case?"

Branch turned around and smiled, "I will have someone with me." He held up his handgun, he knew Creek would probably have a gun as well, but he'd had a lot of practice and he liked his chances. Branch tucked the gun into the side of his right boot knowing it was the quickest way he could grab it if needed.

"Branch, I don't like this idea. I don't think we should split up." GD was trying to reason with him.

"I don't care what you like GD. Right now we have to find Poppy. If both trackers stay at the same place then we can all go together, but if not I need you and Suki to take one and I'll take the other. Let me see your phone so you can track her as well." GD handed him his phone without a word. Branch did what he needed to do.

Branch handed the phone back to GD then walked out to the living room. He grabbed his jacket and looked at his phone. The red dots had stopped, and it was an address he recognized too well. "They're at my old house." He turned to look at GD, who looked very surprised.

"How would he know where you used to live?" GD asked crossing his arms over his chest.

Branch shook his head, he couldn't believe where that ass had taken Poppy. He was doing this just to screw with Branch. "I don't know," he looked up at GD, "but for now that's where he has Poppy. I'm going now by myself, when Suki gets here follow me but if one of the trackers leaves the house follow that one."

"Branch, please be careful. I know Poppy means everything to you, and I love her like a sister. But please don't get yourself killed." GD said to him, his eyes full of pleading.

"She's worth everything to me GD, I'd die for her." Branch replied, his face like stone.

GD nodded and walked up to Branch and surprisingly hugged him. Branch was shocked at first, but reluctantly hugged him back. He was like a brother to him after all. The two separated after a minute and GD caught Branch's gaze, "If this is the last time I see you Branch, I just want to say you've been a brother to me. I couldn't have asked for a better friend."

Branch was too emotional right now to hear these words and he was doing everything he could to hold back his tears, "Thanks man, please take care of Poppy if something happens to me." He then turned and walked to the front door and put his hand on the knob. Before turning it, he looked at GD one last time, "Bye GD."

He could see GD did have tears running down his face, "Bye Branch."

And with that Branch was out the door. He headed to his car and pulled out of the parking lot. Branch put his phone on the dash where he could see it without really taking his eyes off the road. The two trackers were still at his old house so that's where he headed.

There was no way to put into words how scared he truly was. Poppy was everything to him, and he couldn't bare to lose her. He didn't really know if Creek just wanted her back or if he would hurt her so nobody else could have her. All he knew about him was what Poppy had told him.

He knew he should probably get the police involved, but they didn't step in last time so why would they step in now. Creek obviously had law enforcement on his payroll, or rather his father's pay roll. No, Branch would handle this himself and hopefully not get killed in the process. But he would do anything he had to, to get Poppy back and away from Creek. He looked over and saw the trackers were still both in the same place and Branch hoped they would stay that way.

It was still about 15 minutes to his old house and he glanced over to his phone just in time to see one of the red dots leaving the address. Unfortunately, he couldn't tell if this was her jacket or her phone, but he didn't have to think about it as his phone started ringing and GD's name appeared on the display.

Branch picked up his phone and heard his best friend's voice, "Do you want us to follow the tracker that's moving?"

"Yes, I'm still going to my old house. I'm not sure what I'll find there but whatever you do don't lose that tracker."

"Will do Branch." GD replied, and Branch hung up his phone.

* * *

Branch pulled into the driveway of his old house, he hadn't been here since his grandmother had died. The place really looked awful, not that it had look grand then, but it had really gone to hell.

There was no other car in the driveway, but he knew one of those trackers was still in this house. He hoped desperately Poppy was here and he could take her away. But he knew that Creek could just have taken her phone and had her taken away. Tentatively he walked towards the house. Branch noticed the front door had been replaced, but that looked to be the only renovation to the house.

Ever so slowly he walked up the few steps to the porch, then grabbed the knob on the door. His heart was racing, and he exhaled slowly not knowing what he might find inside. Branch opened the door to find the light on in the room but didn't have time to think about as something hit his stomach. He instantly dropped to the floor on his knees and wrapped one arm around his middle while trying to get back the air that had been knocked out of him. Branch then felt one hand on each arm lift him up and bring him back up to his feet.

In front of him stood a man, just shorter than him with purple frosted blonde hair and blue eyes. _This must be Creek,_ he thought to himself. He looked to both sides of him to see two rather large men, each holding one of his arms. Branch knew he was in a bit of trouble now but wouldn't give anything away.

"Where is she?" He asked, knowing she wasn't here already.

Creek smiled at him, "Hello Branch, Poppy has decided that she wants me back and left your sorry ass. Can't blame her, I mean look at you," he gestured to Branch, "and look at me. I'm the obvious choice."

Branch smiled maliciously back knowing this guy was full of it, "You can lie to yourself all you want, but you can't lie to me. Poppy chose me, and you can't stand it."

Before he could react Creek punched him. Luckily all it did was give him a bloody lip, but this just fueled his already boiling rage. Noticing that the men's grip on him had slackened Branch was able to get himself free and went after Creek. Before he could reach him though one of the men grabbed him. Branch swung his arm up and was able to catch the guy under the jar with a punch and the man let him go. But the other henchman was right there to take his partner's place. He reached for Branch, but Branch was faster. The guy had both his arms out to grab Branch, but Branch ducked, caught the guy around the middle with his shoulder and threw the man over his body. The man landed hard on his back behind Branch.

At this point the other henchman was after Branch again. He grabbed Branch's shoulder and attempted a punch, but Branch ducked just enough to avoid being hit. With the man's guard down Branch brought his knee up while grabbing the man's head and pulled it down. He heard a crunch on impact and saw blood on his jeans. Then he felt arms around his waist, his only move now was to throw his head back. He was shorter than the man so he only hit his chin and lip instead of his nose, but it was enough to make the man let go.

Branch was starting to get winded, it had been a long time since he'd been in a fight, and if these guys kept getting up he didn't know how much longer he'd last. But both men were out of his way for the moment and he looked to Creek, who looked a tad scared now. He strode over to Creek and grabbed the front of his shirt with his left hand and punch him hard with his right hand.

"Where is Poppy?!" He yelled at Creek, who just smiled in return despite the blood running down his teeth from his busted lip. Out of anger Branch punched him again and this time let his shirt go. Creek hit the ground and Branch stood over him. He got a few more hits in before the two henchmen grabbed him again and drugged him off Creek. Branch was beyond furious at this point but wasn't sure how he was going to get out of this. He couldn't beat three guys.

Creek stood up, blood ran down his face onto his shirt, but he didn't seem to care. He took a few steps towards Branch and hit him again. Creek punched him a few more times and then stepped back. Branch could feel blood dripping off his chin, but luckily just from his lip and cheek. Creek had somehow avoided his nose, which he was thankful for.

Then Creek looked to his henchmen and smiled, "He's yours boys. Have fun." He then went and leaned against the wall and crossed his arms as if he was about to watch a show, and unfortunately for Branch, he was about to.

Branch couldn't fight them off this time, they were both on him at the same time. He could feel hits everywhere from the waist up. Finally, at one point he blacked out from a hit to the head and from all the pain.

* * *

Later, not sure how much later, Branch woke up. His head was pounding, when he tried to open his eyes all he saw were black spots. He sat for a few minutes, realizing he was tied up to what he was pretty sure was a chair. Branch breathed in slowly, he didn't want to see spots again the next time he opened his eyes.

Finally, he attempted to open his eyes again, which were both swollen, but he was able to see a little bit still. He lifted his head and saw the three men. They were all cleaned up now, but with some bruises. Branch didn't even want to know how he looked. He could easily feel he had at least a few broken ribs, his knuckled were bloodied, no telling how many cuts he had on his face. He also felt nauseated but tried to hold this down as much as possible.

He looked towards Creek and spoke in a rather hoarse voice, "Where is Poppy?"

Creek smiled again and threw his head up as if a child was talking to him, "How many times are you going to ask that before you get the idea." Creek walked up to him at that point and squatted down so they were eye to eye, "She's not coming back."

Branch held his gaze, "Then what are you going to do with me?"

Creek stood up and turned his back to Branch. Branch had a good idea what Creek was going to do. He was going to die, there was no other option here. Creek wouldn't leave him alive, he would do anything to keep Poppy to himself. After walking about ten feet away Creek turned around and held something in his hand. It was what Branch was afraid of, Creek held his gun. He glanced down to his right boot quickly, but sure enough Creek had 'his' gun.

"I think you know exactly where this is going Branch," Creek started, "I simply can't allow anyone else to have Poppy. She is mine." And then he pointed the gun at him.

Branch had no option at this point, for the first time since he was a kid he cried. He allowed the tears to run freely down his face. No, he didn't want Creek to see this, but he knew now he would never see Poppy again, he would never see his friends again or Smidge. He had many regrets in his life, but there was no time to think of those. He wanted his last thoughts to be of Poppy. _Poppy, I'm so sorry. I love you._

He then looked up to match Creek's gaze, he would not die with his head bowed. Branch still cried but he was ready to accept his fate. He then heard a shot, and everything went black.

* * *

Suki drove as GD followed the tracker on his phone. "It looks like they're headed for the airport." GD said, trying to keep his cool. He really hoped Branch was alright and that one of them could get to Poppy on time.

Suki put her pedal to the floor, "Well, I better hurry up then. The airport is at least fifteen minutes away. I hope we can catch them in time."

GD nodded, "Me too, Suki, me too."

It wasn't long before they did reach the airport. Quickly they parked and ran inside following the tracker. But Suki ran up to the counter to talk to the clerk first, "Excuse me." The clerk turned around, it was a middle-aged woman who wore her hair in a ponytail and way too much makeup.

Suki continued, "Have you seen a girl with pink hair come through? Young, still a teenager."

The woman nodded, "Yes she came through about fifteen minutes with a young man, about your age." She looked between the two.

"Thank you!" Suki said as she and GD ran off towards the security line, both hoping they weren't too late.

"At least we know she came through here." Suki said.

When they reached the security line Suki decided to take a chance and yell, "Poppy!" She knew the guards wouldn't let her any farther, but maybe if Poppy could hear her if she hadn't boarded a plane yet. The guards of course were instantly by the two of them, but not before Suki had yelled a couple more times.

"What is going on here?" One of the guards asked, he was a young man obviously new to the job.

Suki tried to explain as quickly as she could, "Did you see a girl come through here with pink hair? She was kidnapped, and we need to find her."

The guard looked a bit surprised, "Yes she came through here, with a young man. Do you want me to go look for her?"

Suki and GD both nodded, "Yes please, we have to find her."

"Go sit over there and I'll be right back." The guard pointed to a bench and the two sat down waiting anxiously. If Poppy was still in the airport they could get her back. They didn't have a long wait before the guard came back. Both of them jumped up wanting to hear if he had found her.

"I'm sorry kids, but she already boarded a plane. You say she was kidnapped?" He looked at them both questioningly.

"Yes, she was taken by her ex." Suki said.

"Do you want to get the police on this?" The guard asked them.

Both nodded quickly, hoping this could help them get Poppy back. It was at this point though an even older security guard came to investigate all the noise. "What's going on here?" He asked gruffly to the younger guard. The situation was explained quickly, and the older guard pulled the younger aside. Suki and GD had no idea what was going on.

The younger guard came back to them a moment later and said, "It's being handled already. I can't tell you anything, I'm sorry."

GD and Suki looked at each other confused. "What do you mean it's being handled?" GD asked.

"I can't tell you, just know your friend is safe." And then he walked away without another word.

The couple didn't know what to say, just stood there dumbfounded for a minute before walking back to their car. "So, do you think Poppy's really okay?" Suki asked GD as they walked.

GD shrugged, "I hope so, the guard said she was okay."

"But can we really believe him? What if he's another man working for Creek?" Suki said, hoping desperately that the guard had been telling the truth, but also seeing what else could be happening.

"I really don't know Suki, I can still see the tracker on the phone but if they fly much farther then we'll lose her. I don't know what else we can do for the moment except trust the authorities. I'm going to call Branch and see what's up with him, I'm guessing he'll be on his way here since Poppy obviously wasn't at the house."

GD pulled out his phone as they reached the car and dialed Branch's number. He leaned against it as he waited for Branch to pick up, but all he got was his voicemail. That was odd, Branch always answered. Then he got a bad feeling.

"Suki let's go." He said hurriedly as jumped into the passenger side of the car.

Suki got into the driver's side and looked a bit worried at his tone of voice, "Where?"

"To Branch's old house, I've got a bad feeling." GD replied, feeling a tad sick in the pit of his stomach. He hoped Branch was alright.

* * *

 **A/N: Please do not throw anything at me! I promise things do get better, just bare with me through these awful chapters.**


	22. Chapter 22

**A/N: Hey guys! I am so sorry for the delay in updating, life has really gotten ahead of me and I had not even realized it's been a month since the last chapter. Thank you guys for all your reviews, I appreciate all of them. I also apologize for any grammatical errors that may be found, I try to catch them all before uploading but sometimes I just miss them. And no, I don't have a posting schedule I just post as I have time. I know I left you guys on a pretty nasty cliffhanger too, and just for that I should have updated sooner but I digress. Going to be honest here, this is not my best chapter but it's at least happier than the past few. No warnings for this chapter, so please just enjoy**

* * *

Chapter 22

Poppy woke hours later to someone shaking her shoulder.

"Poppy, Poppy, wake up." She heard a voice near her say, but she didn't want to come back to reality yet. Her dreams had been amazing, and she didn't want to give them up. Poppy tried her hardest to stay asleep, but unfortunately, she was slowly coming back into the waking world.

She slowly opened her eyes, and then remembered where she was. She was looking out of an airplane window, it was still bright outside and she quickly covered her eyes with her hands. Then she looked the other way to see Aspen's hand on her shoulder and his face looking concerned. She shrugged his hand off her shoulder.

"We're here." He said to her and got up. Aspen stood in the aisle and extended a hand towards her to help her up.

Poppy simply ignored it and stood up on her own and followed Aspen down the aisle. They exited the plane and Poppy had to put her arm up to shield her from how bright the sun was. It was much hotter here than it had been they left. They entered the airport which was luckily air conditioned and Poppy could finally see correctly again. It wasn't really crowded as she continued to follow Aspen, he only turned back to look a few times to make sure she was still there. She wasn't going to run, she had no idea where she was. But with the temperature and bright sunshine they seemed to be somewhere tropical.

Poppy stripped herself of her jacket and held it over one arm, she might need it later but was way too warm for it right now. After a few more minutes of walking it looked like they had reached the front doors. Aspen held the door open for her, and what she saw when she exited the building both shocked and excited her.

"Dad!" Poppy exclaimed before running into her father's arms.

"Poppy." Peppy said as he returned his daughter's hug.

Poppy pulled back from her father, he looked just as she had left him. His orange hair stood up like a crazy scientist with gray streaks starting to show, and of course he still had his mustache, also showing off some grey. His whiskey-colored eyes met her's. She forgot where she was for just a moment, but that was when she noticed there was a man in a black and white suit with sunglasses standing behind her father. There was also a black car parked about ten feet from them.

She rounded on Aspen who stood a few feet behind her, "It wasn't enough for you to completely betray me, but you kidnapped my father too! Why is he here?!"

Aspen looked alarmed and a took a few steps until he stood right in front of Poppy, "Please, just come with us and I'll explain everything."

Poppy couldn't believe what she was hearing, "Are you kidding me? I don't want to go anywhere with you. And I want you to let my dad go."

"Poppy, please just listen..." Aspen tried to grab her arm, but Poppy moved to avoid him.

"No!" She yelled, but then felt a hand on her left arm. Poppy turned back to see her father, "Poppy, please. Just come with me, you'll find out what's going on soon enough." She looked between Aspen and her father but bowed her head in defeat realizing that she had no other choice but to go with them. Poppy would do as her father asked. At least she had him here with her, even if they were both being kidnapped where no one could find them.

The tall, bald gentleman in the suit then led them to the black car. He opened up the back door and Poppy got in first followed by her father. Aspen got into the front passenger seat, and the man in the suit got into the driver's side.

As they drove Poppy's earlier assumption had been correct. She saw tons of palm trees, tons of people walking around, she could even see the ocean at times. If it wasn't for the fact that she had been taken against her will, this would be a nice place to vacation. But now that she had a chance to breathe, her thoughts ventured to Branch. If Creek had been right, and Branch had placed a tracker on her he would've headed right into Creek's hands. Poppy hoped he was okay, she didn't think she could live with herself if something were to happen to him on her behalf.

Poppy then turned to her father, she didn't want to think about what Creek could possibly be doing, or had done, to Branch. "So, what's really going on Dad? What are we doing here?"

Her father turned to look at her, "Poppy, I promise everything will be explained in due time. Just know for now that everything is alright."

Seeing that she wasn't going to get any more explanation than that, Poppy turned back to staring out her window. She still had a massive headache, and even though it was beautiful outside the sunlight didn't help with her pain. Hopefully soon she could at least get some water, which would help with her headache immensely.

It wasn't too much longer before they pulled up to a hotel. From what Poppy could see from inside the car this was a rather fancy hotel, not just some roadside motel. She didn't know why they would bring them here, but hopefully soon she would find out.

She, her father, and Aspen then got out of the car and stepped onto the asphalt of the hotel parking lot. Poppy looked up, and up, and up. The hotel had to be at least twenty stories tall, probably more. And she had been right, this was a nice hotel. It was similar to the ones her father and she used when going on vacation. Turning around she saw her father and Aspen walking towards the front of the hotel. There were even valet standing there waiting to take people's cars.

Poppy followed after her father and Aspen as they entered the hotel. It was even really nice inside. The floors were black and white checkered tile, the walls had a sort of floral pattern that was set in a light blue background, and all the counter tops, including the check in counter, were black and white marble.

Aspen went up to the counter while Poppy and her father sat down on a rather convenient couch to wait for him. Poppy was really beginning to wonder what exactly was going on, this no longer felt like a kidnapping. She didn't really know what to say to her father either since this wasn't a situation she had ever been in before.

Finally, after what seemed like a while, Aspen came up to them and gestured for them to follow him. They got into the elevator behind him and he hit the button for the fifteenth floor. Poppy did notice that the hotel had thirty floors, plus the penthouse at the very top.

At their floor they exited the elevator and Poppy and Peppy followed Aspen down the hall until he stopped at a door and opened it with the hotel key. The room was standard for a hotel, 2 queen beds with nightstands in between, a dresser with a tv on it, a fridge and microwave, small table and chair by the window, and a bathroom.

Once inside the room Poppy turned on Aspen, "Now tell me what's going on, you owe me that Aspen."

Aspen walked a bit father into the room until he was closer to the window. Poppy kept her eyes on him and always had her body facing him, she didn't need any surprises right now. Her father had sat down at the table near the window.

She heard Aspen sigh and he turned to face her, his back to the window now. "Poppy, I think you've come to the conclusion by now that this wasn't exactly a kidnapping. Yes, I did take you under that impression, and that's what I wanted. We had to make it all look as authentic as possible, to trick Creek."

Poppy's brows furrowed in confusion, "What are you talking about?"

Aspen then pulled something out of his pocket and held it up about chest level. Poppy couldn't believe what she was seeing.

"Is that what I think it is?" She asked him.

He nodded and put the item back in his pocket. "Yes Poppy. I've been undercover with the FBI. I'm sorry to have tricked you, but we've been trying to take down Creek for a while now, and unfortunately you were part of the plan."

Poppy shook her head, having a hard time believing what he was saying. She looked to her father then, "Dad, what's going on?"

Peppy then spoke up, "It's okay Poppy, Aspen was in on this the whole time. Please just listen to him."

She turned back to Aspen then and gestured for him to continue.

"We've been following Creek a long time. When I had the chance to get close to him I took it, that meant doing some things I didn't want to, including getting you to trust me. At first, we just knew he was smuggling drugs from other countries, but we didn't have enough evidence yet to lock him up. Then we found out he was after you, well we jumped on the chance. I'm sorry Poppy, just know we had people watching the whole time and we would never let anything happen to you." Aspen explained.

Poppy didn't even know what to say at first, this was a huge shock. It took a moment, but she was finally able to speak, "So this whole time, you guys have just been watching me? I have been scared for months that Creek would find me, and nobody could tell me what was going on? I can't believe this, how could you do that to me?!"

Aspen looked neutral as Poppy yelled, "I'm sorry Poppy, but if Creek knew that I was an agent the whole operation would've been blown. We had to make it all look real. If he'd sensed anything he would have had his guys take me out. I thought you would be happy to have Creek finally getting locked up for everything he did."

He walked towards Poppy at this point and softened his voice, "Everything he did to you, we'll get him for."

Poppy had to look away, "How do you know about that?"

"We know everything Poppy. But you are safe now, this building is surrounded with other agents. No one will get you here."

That made Poppy think of something and she turned to face him again, "What about Branch? Is he safe? Creek said he would come looking for me and I don't know what he would do." She was almost hysterical at this point thinking about all the possibilities.

Aspen pulled his phone out of his pocket as if to check for messages and missed calls, then put it back in his pocket. "Last I heard Branch, and all of your friends, were fine."

Poppy breathed a sigh of relief, at least she could relax a little now. She hadn't really been kidnapped, her father was with her, Creek was finally going to get what he deserved, and Branch was okay. She then sat down rather heavily on one of the beds. Her head dropped until it was being cradled by her hands. She felt the need to cry again but didn't. This had been one long day, and all she wanted to do was sleep.

No one spoke for a bit, but Poppy eventually lifted her head and looked at both her father and Aspen, "So let me get this straight: I'm safe, my friends are safe, and Creek is going to jail." She counted the items on fingers as she spoke.

Aspen nodded, "Well prison actually, but yes. And Creek's father is going as well for being an accomplice to the smuggling."

Poppy breathed a long sigh of relief, "So what now?"

"We're going to keep you and your father here for a few days, then you'll get to go home, and life can go on as normal. You don't have to see Creek again, you can continue college and live life as if this all never happened. Sound good?" Aspen gave her what looked like a genuine smile.

Poppy nodded, this is all seemed like a dream. She would be safe from now on, no more Creek to worry about.

"Wait, a few days? But I don't have anything, no clothes, no shampoo..."

Aspen stopped her before she could continue further and pulled his wallet out of his back pocket. He then pulled a card out of it and extended it towards Poppy, "Here," he said as she took it from him and looked at it curiously, "You can use that while you're here, for clothes or whatever. Just don't lose it."

Poppy smiled, "Thank you." She looked up at Aspen and he was giving her a small smile in return.

She then looked over to her father who had been quite throughout this whole exchange, "So Dad, did you know about this the whole time?"

Peppy looked down at the floor for a minute before looking back up at her, "Yes Poppy, I did. I wasn't happy with it at first, but I knew in the end you would be safe. And they guaranteed nothing would happen to you. I'm also so sorry for not telling you." He got up and walked across the small room to sit next to Poppy on the bed. Poppy looked into her father's whiskey-colored eyes and could see he was truly sorry.

"Oh Dad." Poppy threw her arms around her father and he returned her embrace promptly. "It's okay, I was just so scared. I really thought I wouldn't be able to get away from him."

The two pulled apart, "I know, but now you don't have to worry about him anymore." Peppy said to his daughter. "Now that you know everything I want to hear about how everything else is going." He gave her a big smile.

Poppy smiled back, loving her father's 'move forward' attitude. Per his request she dived into the good things that had been happening in her life.

* * *

Over the few days they spent in whatever city this was, some foreign language Poppy just couldn't seem to pronounce, Poppy got to go shopping, eat interesting new foods, and spend some well needed time with her father. As promised anywhere they went there was always someone watching, and Poppy even had her own driver, the man in the suit that had met them at the airport. She even got to spend some time at the beach and a get a light tan while she was at it. But the days passed quickly, and she was grateful. She had asked Aspen several times and so far, he said Branch was fine and so were her friends. But Poppy missed Branch greatly, and desperately wanted to see him. With no phone she was left in the dark. She was ready to go home, with Branch, with her friends, to return to the life of a normal college freshman.

The flight back this time was much easier, knowing that she could go back to her life once she got back. She started getting excited once in the airport at home, she couldn't wait to see Branch. Poppy walked through the airport with jittery excitement, and her face lit up even more when she saw Guy and Suki standing on the sidewalk on the other side of the airport doors. She ran out to them with a big smile on her face and hugged each of them in turn.

"It's so good to see you guys." Poppy nearly yelled, but then she saw their faces and her smile faded. They both seemed happy to see her, but something was obviously troubling them. That's when she began looking around.

"Where's Branch?" She asked, hoping nothing bad had happened to him.

GD sighed, "Come on Poppy," he gestured to his car, "We'll take you to him."

He and Suki then began walking to their car. Poppy turned to face her father and Aspen, "I am free to go right?"

Aspen nodded, "Yes Poppy, if we need anything from you I'll let you know."

She then turned to her father, "I'm sorry Dad, I have to go."

Peppy nodded, "I know Poppy, if you don't mind and have time later please call me. I'll be staying at a hotel not too far from the hospital, I want to know what's going on with your young man."

Poppy hugged her father, "Thanks Dad, I love you."

"I love you too Poppy." Peppy said before Poppy ran off to follow her friends.

She caught up to her friends who were standing by GD's car waiting for her.

"So, what's going on?" Poppy asked both GD and Suki as they got in the car. Poppy was really worried since Branch wasn't here, but as long as they weren't headed to the morgue she could handle anything else. "Is Branch alive?"

She didn't get a response for a minute but finally Suki looked back at her, "He's alive Poppy, but he did get shot and looks pretty bad. Just prepare yourself. You've been through a lot in the past few days and so has he, just remember that."

Poppy wasn't sure what to make of that, but Branch was alive and right now that's all she could ask for.

* * *

A/N: You guys had to know I wouldn't kill off Branch, he's my absolute favorite character.

PS: I've been looking for humans in real life that could come close to portraying the Poppy and Branch in my story. The guy and girl in the music video Green Day "21 Guns" are as close as I've found. Make the guy just a little better looking and a hint taller and that's how I imagine Branch. For those of you who are like me and can't just come up with faces it might help. Anyway hope you enjoyed it, please leave reviews!


	23. Chapter 23

**A/N: Hey guys! Sorry for the wait again, I am trying to get these written faster. Anyway thank you guys for all the reviews as always, I'm glad to read that nobody expected what happened in the last chapter. I like to keep it as interesting as possible. Oh, if anybody is good at song lyrics and would be willing to help me out, please pm me. That's about all I got, so please enjoy!**

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Chapter 23

When Branch opened his eyes again he was surprised by his surroundings. He was sitting in a chair at the wooden kitchen table in his old house. There were even the same yellow and floral place mats that had been there when he'd lived there so many years ago. In front of him on the other side of the table was a sink and small window above it. Short curtains framed the window, which was open allowing a nice breeze and sunlight in to hit on the tile floor.

Branch then noticed his hands were no longer bloody. He put his hands to his face and discovered there was no more swelling and no pain as there had been. When he pulled his hands away he almost expected to see blood from the wounds that had been there, but there wasn't any. He wasn't exactly sure what was going or where he was, but where ever it was it seemed so…peaceful. That's when he heard a noise and looked over to see someone standing over the oven cooking.

"Grandma?" Branch asked speculatively. How could this be his grandma? Unless he was…. Branch swallowed audibly, and his grandmother turned to face him.

She looked just as he remembered her, short with dark brown hair streaked with gray that was held in a bun on top of her head. She was even still wearing her favorite cream-colored dress and her hand sewn red with pink hearts afghan jacket/coat hung on it's usual hook on the other side of the kitchen.

"Hi Branch." Grandma Rosie said. Her green eyes met his.

Branch couldn't believe his eyes, but a big smile formed on his face and he quickly got up from his seat. In two strides he was right in front of her, and then wrapped his arms around her. She hugged him back, and Branch had to hold back from crying. It was almost odd to be the tall one, last time they had hugged she was still over a head taller.

"I've missed you so much Grandma." Branch said, finally pulling back from the embrace.

"Oh dear, I've missed you too." She replied and then looked him over. "My, have you grown. Such a handsome young man now."

Branch blushed slightly at this and decided to change the subject, "Where are we Grandma?" He asked looking around.

His grandma looked down in dismay, "Well, um, this is where I've been for the past ten years or so." And waved her hand around above her head as if to show off the place.

He didn't quite understand what he was hearing, this looked just like his old house but there was something too surreal about it. Like it was too clean or something. He knew he shouldn't be here, something in his gut was telling him to get out. Not in a dangerous way, just a knowing feeling that this was not where he should be.

"Are you telling me that I'm…I'm dead?" Branch wasn't ready to die, but if this is where he could spend eternity he could be happy. Though he would miss Poppy, and his friends, desperately.

His grandmother sighed, "No Branch, but if you don't go back soon you will be. As much as I want you to stay, you're not ready. You have to go back."

Branch wasn't sure what to say but thought about it for a moment as he looked around. Finally, he resolved himself, "How do I get back?"

Grandma Rosie took his hand and led him across the living room towards the front door. "Just open that door my boy. It will take you back, where you belong." She looked back at him with a small smile on her face.

She opened her arms up to him again, and he hugged his grandmother for the last time.

"I miss you Grandma." Branch said to her, hesitating to let go. He did want to go back, but his grandmother had been the last of his family. She'd always been there for him, before and after he'd lost his parents. It was hard to say good-bye, but it was like the closure he hadn't gotten as a child.

"I miss you too Branch." Rosie said, letting go of him and stepping back. "Now, you need to go, or you'll end up staying here with me forever."

Branch looked at the front door and took a few steps that way, but turned to look at his grandma, "I love you Grandma."

Grandma Rosie smiled sweetly at him, "I love you too my sweet grandson."

Again, Branch had to fight back the tears and turned around to face the front door. He put his hands on the knob and drew in a deep breath. He was about to turn it when he heard his grandmother's voice, "Branch, take care of that girl of yours. And if you truly love her, sing for her. I miss that angelic voice I used to hear and would love to hear it again. Now go."

Without turning around Branch nodded, not in anger or disrespect he just didn't want Grandma to see him cry. And he feared if he turned to look at her again, he might just run back into her arms. He then opened the door, and he walked into a blindingly bright light. Then it was all black again.

* * *

He wasn't sure how long he'd been in the black, but ever so slowly he was starting to wake. The first thing he could hear was the beeping of some machine. It was consistent, must be a heart monitor. He could also feel the needle of an IV in his left arm, slowly pumping some liquid into his body. So, he was in a hospital, which meant he was alive. Branch wanted to open his eyes, but he could feel how swollen his face was. He decided to just keep his eyes closed for now, until he felt he truly needed to open them.

Branch could hear shuffling like feet around the room. Probably a nurse or doctor checking his vitals. They only stayed for thirty seconds or so then left the room, closing the door behind them.

He didn't hear anything again for a while and attempted to open his eyes again. Branch was surprised that he found he could open his eyes, even if just a little. It wasn't too bright in the room, and it looked like a typical hospital room. His eyesight was a little blurry but he could see a tv high on the wall in front of him, the screen black. There were the typical chairs in various places around the room as well as a small round table between two of them on the right side of the room next to the window. The blanket covering him from the waist down was a light blue and the hospital gown they'd dressed him in was just a slightly darker blue.

But what shocked him was that he couldn't feel any pain, they must have him on morphine or some other pain reliever. He knew that he should have at least a few broken ribs, possible organ damage, and his face had to look terrible. And that's when the sound of the gunshot came back to him. Surely, he'd been shot, Creek had had a straight shot, there was no way he could have missed. He would have to ask when the nurse or doctor came back.

Branch felt his eyes getting heavy again and fell back to sleep. Though this time his sleep was filled with dreams, rather than just blackness. He dreamt of his grandmother, something he had not done in a long time. It was just images from his childhood, but nothing sad, only happy times. This was something he hadn't thought about in a very long time. Perhaps his near-death experience had brought all of these memories forward, or maybe it was just seeing his grandmother again. He also dreamt of Poppy, again nothing bad just all the fun times they'd had together. And he could also hear her sing, he missed that voice. Branch really wanted to hear it again, and hopefully he would. Now, after talking to his grandmother, he wanted to try to sing again. Getting her permission to sing had been like a wall breaking down inside his mind. All this time he just couldn't do it thinking he'd be disrespecting his grandmother somehow. He wasn't sure if his voice would ever be as good as it had been, but he could try when he got a bit better.

Finally, Branch woke again, and this time he did open his eyes, well best he could anyway. His face was still swollen so he could only open them so much, but he was lucky enough that a nurse was in the room at the time. She turned to face him and gasped him in surprise. Quickly she walked over to him and asked him, "How are you feeling? Can you talk?" He could read on her the tag on her shirt that read "Mandy, RN."

Branch tried his voice, he was very hoarse but was able to get out "Poppy." Mandy looked confused at first but then determined, "Is this a friend of yours?" Branch nodded, lack of water had made him lose most of his voice for the moment.

"Do you have any family?" Branch shook his head. All he had was Poppy and GD.

"Okay, do you have a number for your friend?" The nurse asked patiently. Branch nodded in return, and luckily without asking the nurse handed him a piece of paper and a pen. Slowly he was able to write down Poppy's number, which he had memorized just in case he ever lost his phone.

Mandy took the number from him, "I'm going to call your friend okay?" Branch nodded. "And I'm going to send the doctor in to talk to you, do you need anything? I can get you some water if you want." Branch nodded again, he wanted to be able to talk.

"Are you in any pain? I can turn up your morphine if I need to." The nurse made a move towards his IV and he held up his hand to her, indicating he was okay. And really, he was, he couldn't feel much of anything other than thirsty and his need to see Poppy. But he could comprehend everything around him, it wasn't like he was in la-la land or anything.

She then nodded to him and left the room. Hopefully she could get in touch with Poppy, as much as he didn't want her to see him in this condition he desperately wanted to see her. Then he remembered, Poppy had been kidnapped. She might not even be in the country any more. But maybe GD and Suki had been able to reach her in time since they'd followed the other tracker, the one he followed obviously hadn't lead him to her.

Minutes later Nurse Mandy returned with water in hand. She sat the bottle down on the small portable table next to Branch's bed. "We didn't get an answer when we called your friend, but we have a," she looked down at her paperwork making sure she was giving the correct information, "Guy and Suki in the waiting room wanting to see you. He says he's your brother, do you want to see them?"

Branch lit up at that and nodded. Mandy smiled and said, "Okay, I'll go get them."

At least GD was here for him, and he could figure out what happened with Poppy, even if it was a truth he didn't want to hear. He took a drink from the water Nurse Mandy had given him, which helped to alleviate the dryness in his mouth and throat. Right now, he just wanted to see some familiar faces. That's when he could suddenly feel the bandage wrapped around his head, he hadn't realized it before in his cloudy state. He put his hand up to his head and sure enough there was a about a 3 inch wide bandage that wrapped all the way around. Maybe he had been shot, but why wasn't he dead then? Perhaps he'd just been lucky. He could tell he was still bruised up, but his face didn't feel quite as swollen. But he knew he would look bad for a while. Branch was just hopeful he'd be able to get out of this bed and continue searching for Poppy. He couldn't lose her now.

A few minutes later GD and Suki walked into the room followed by the nurse. GD smiled and walked over to Branch and gave him a hug without warning. Branch hesitated for a second but hugged his friend back. After what he'd just been through he'd give his friend all the hugs he liked. Even Suki joined in on the hug, and Branch hesitantly hugged her in return as well.

Finally, they all let go, and Branch could see that they both were crying. And he even felt a few tears in his own eyes. Quickly though he wiped them away, he still didn't want to cry in front of GD.

"Don't you ever do that to me again Branch." GD said to him sternly, still with a few tears flowing down his face. "What were you thinking?! You should have gotten out of there the second you realized Poppy wasn't there."

He could see GD wanted to continue but Branch couldn't stop himself, "Poppy? Where's Poppy? Were you guys able to help her? Tell me!" His voice was hoarse and came out as more a loud whisper, but he didn't care.

Branch could see the grim looks on their faces, and already knew the answer he'd been dreading. Suki laid a hand on his shoulder, "I'm sorry Branch, we tried to catch up to her, but it was already too late."

"What happened?" He asked her, holding back tears again.

GD sighed obviously not wanting to say, "We followed them to the airport, but by the time we got to security she'd already boarded a plane. We tried to explain our situation to them, but all they said to us was that she was safe and not to worry." He looked to Suki at this point," We had no idea what they were talking about, and we don't know where she is."

Branch wasn't sure what to make of this at all, "Creek must have the security guards at the airport on his payroll as well. Figures." He looked away then towards the window. All he could see were tops of other buildings. Honestly, he had no clue how they would find her. Branch wasn't going to give up, but he really wasn't sure what his next move was.

He took another sip of water before asking more questions, "So how long have I been out?"

"A few days." GD replied, "But we all thought you were dead at first."

Branch furrowed his brows, "What do you mean? What happened?"

"What do you remember?" Suki asked.

He thought about it, he could remember back to the house and could hear the shot. Then his grandma, but he wasn't going to tell them that.

"I was at my old house, tied to a chair bloody as hell and Creek had the gun pointed at me." Branch stopped to take a drink, he was going to lose his voice again. "I remember hearing a shot and that's it until I woke up."

"You were shot Branch," GD came flat out and said it. "Creek had you at point blank range. But what none of us knew is that the FBI had been following Creek for a while now, with him distracted they burst in. I guess he took a shot and instead of hitting here," GD poked him square in the forehead, "the bullet hit here," he touched the right side of Branch's head where the hairline would be had it not been covered with a bandage. It didn't go into your head, mostly just seemed to graze it but still did some damage."

"We came back to the house as soon as we left the airport and there were lots of FBI vehicles and cops and an ambulance. We saw them wheeling you out on a gurney, I've never seen so much blood." GD looked as if he was about to cry again but seemed to able to pull himself together after a minute.

"But the doctors are still shocked you're alive. You did flatline once, but it was only for a minute and they were able to get you back."

Branch had to stop him, "The FBI?! So, they got Creek?" This was some good news.

GD and Suki both looked at him dumbfounded, but Suki spoke first, "You're lucky to be alive and you're focused on Creek right now?"

"I'm fine guys, or I will be as soon as we find Poppy. Now that they've got Creek they should be able to find Poppy." Branch didn't realize he was smiling until it hurt, and he stopped.

"Maybe Branch, but we haven't heard anything."

All three were silent for a minute before Suki got a small smile on her face, "Oh, but we do have some interesting news."

Branch perked up and looked at her, curious as to what it could be. He looked to GD who also had a small smile on his face.

"Apparently Satin is in the FBI."

This information didn't compute at first with Branch, but after a minute he just accepted it. "How…Why….What?" He was finally able to get out.

Suki and GD both made a small laugh before Suki continued, "Yeah, she was there at the house helping to contain Creek and his goons all in FBI gear – Bullet proof vest, gun, all of it. She's been undercover the whole time, mostly to watch Poppy but some personal issues made that part hard for her. But anyway, she was there, and even helped untie you from the chair and made sure you were alive before the EMTs got there."

Branch wasn't sure what to make of this, he never saw this coming. Satin didn't seem like the type to get her hands dirty. And to help him even. Unfortunately, this meant he would have to thank her at some point.

"So, anything else I need to know about?" Branch asked, looking between Suki and GD.

The two looked at each other, almost as if they were having a mental conversation.

GD then turned to Branch, "I think that's about it man, other than the fact that you look like you got your ass kicked." GD gave him a wicked grin.

Branch almost laughed but felt pain shoot through his ribs at the effort. He grabbed his side, and the pain mostly receded, and he laid back down. "I feel like I got my ass kicked." All of them laughed at that.

"So, what's the total damage report? Other than being shot." Branch looked to GD, bringing them all back to the reality of the situation.

"Um, some broken ribs, couple of missing teeth, none in the front luckily, and the rest is just bruises, cuts, and scrapes. But your face isn't as bad now, a bit of swelling but mostly bruised. It looks like someone got too carried away with purple and red markers." GD smiled.

Branch let out a sigh of relief, no major damage then, other than the head injury. "So, when can I get out of here?"

"Dude, you're staying right here for a while. You were shot for heaven's sake." GD looked at him disbelievingly.

"Man, I'm fine, I just want to go home and start looking for Poppy." Branch swung his legs over the side of the bed in an attempt to get up but doubled over in pain, another painful shot went through his broken ribs. "Okay, maybe not so fine." He gritted through his teeth.

At the point both nurse and doctor came in. Immediately the nurse came over to him, it was Nurse Mandy and she looked at him pointedly, "You get back in that bed, you're not going anywhere."

Branch nodded, he couldn't very well fight her. Slowly he pulled his legs back up, pulled the blanket up, and laid back against the pillows thankful that the pain had faded again. He noticed the doctor had sat down in a chair next to the bed and had shooed GD and Suki to some chairs on the other side of the room near the window.

"How are you doing today Branch?" The doctor asked him.

"I'm alright." Branch said, there wasn't much else to say. He hurt a little, but nothing he couldn't live through.

"Good, well I'll keep this short since you're awake and seem for the most part fine. The shot to your head was luckily not fatal, but it did fracture just a small part of your skull right here," the doctor pointed to the place where GD had said the bullet hit, on the right side just at the hairline. "We would like to monitor that for a few more days to make sure we didn't miss any shards when we cleansed the wound. There doesn't seem to be any brain damage. Are you having any trouble remembering anything?"

Branch shook his head and the doctor continued, "Any paralysis? Any tingling anywhere? Any problems at all?" He shook his head to all of this.

The doctor stood up and put his hand on Branch's shoulder, "You're lucky to be alive son. We'll check back in later. If you need anything, please ask the nurse." With that the doctor left.

Nurse Mandy came up to him then, "Do you need anything sweetie?"

Branch really didn't care for nicknames but would allow it for her, "Could I get some more water? And maybe something to eat." He hated to ask for anything, but knew she wasn't going to let him out of this bed.

"Of course, I'll bring you back some water and some soup. You need to stick with softer foods for now until you heal a little more." With that she turned to leave.

"Thank you." Branch called to her, he still had his manners.

She turned to face him with a smile, "You're welcome." Then she exited the room.

* * *

Two days later Branch was still in the hospital, but now Nurse Mandy allowed him out of his bed for a few hours each day. He felt a lot better, but obviously his ribs still caused him pain and he couldn't walk for long periods of time without getting breathless. His face was barely swollen at all now, but the bruising was still purple. He'd even gotten to take the bandage off his head once and gotten to see the wound. It was pretty gory still and would leave a scar. They'd shaved the hair around it, so he had about a 3 inch bald patch in a circle around the wound, which he almost busted out laughing at when he saw it. He definitely wanted to keep some sort of bandage on it until his hair started growing back. Branch would probably have to have his hair shaved down shorter so it didn't look so obvious. But for now he wouldn't worry it. There was still no word on Poppy, but he'd heard that Creek was going to prison for life so that was one thing out of the way. Apparently, he'd been smuggling drugs internationally as well as the kidnapping charges, rape, assault, and attempted murder. The guy was going nowhere.

Of course GD and Suki came to see him for a while every day, but they still had school to go. His professors were giving him a leave of absence until he was well enough to return, they felt a bit sorry for him getting shot and all.

But GD and Suki hadn't shown up today, he wasn't sure where they were. It was getting into the evening now and he'd only seen his nurses so far. For the first time in his life he felt kind of lonely, he knew it was silly, he'd seen them just yesterday. His accident had left him a bit emotional, which he was not particularly happy about. He'd spent most of his life hiding his emotions and had gotten good at it. But his near death experience was bringing it all back.

Branch sighed and laid back against the pillow on his bed looking up at the ceiling, wishing he just had someone here with him. At this point just about anyone would do.

Then he got his wish when he heard the door to his room opened. He sat up and a smile hit his face instantly as he saw the unique pink hair.

"Poppy."


	24. Chapter 24

**A/N: Hey guys! So sorry for the long update, i really did want to get it up faster. We just moved, I've been working over 50 hours a week, and I'm sorry (not really) but it is NFL season so I've been a bit distracted. I hope to get the next chapter up sooner, but I'm not going to make any promises. I haven't really been on my computer much at all, but I finally had some time to finish this chapter. I hope you guys like it, please leave reviews!**

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Chapter 24

Poppy's heart was racing as the trio pulled into the parking lot of the hospital. Her first instinct when they stopped and parked was just to get out and run, but she had no idea what room Branch was in, or floor for that matter. It was a good-sized hospital with a huge parking lot, as well as an emergency parking lot on the other side of the building. She trembled with nervousness as she followed Guy and Suki towards the building. The hospital had six floors, and she could even see into the waiting rooms of the first few floors thanks to the huge glass windows that ran across the entirety of the hospital. All Poppy could think was that Branch was on one of those floors.

"Hey Poppy, it's okay. No need to be freaking out."

Poppy looked back down to see that both of her friends had stopped walking, and both were looking at her with small smiles on their faces, but it Suki who had spoken.

Then Guy put a hand on her shoulder, "Branch is okay, well for the most part anyway. Now come on, we gotta go see your boy."

Poppy let out the breath she didn't realize she'd been holding. For some reason that made her feel better, to know Branch was alive and okay. If Guy and Suki weren't racing inside and freaking out than neither should she.

The trio resumed their miniature hike across the parking lot. Finally, they reached the automatic doors and Poppy followed Guy and Suki into an elevator past a waiting room. Guy hit the button for the third floor.

Poppy forced herself to breathe in and out evenly as the elevator made its slow way up the shaft. It seemed like forever but finally the elevator on the third floor and the doors opened to reveal another floor with white walls, floors, and hallways. Guy and Suki stepped out ahead of her and turned to their left. She followed them nervously fidgeting with her fingers and trying to control her breathing like she had in the elevator. Her behavior as irrational as she knew Branch was alive, but she hadn't seen him in days and had no clue what kind of shape he was in.

She continued to follow her friends down a hallway with many doors on both sides. They were coming up on a nurses' station but instead of stopping at it she saw Guy and Suki simply nod at the single nurse at her computer and she smiled back at them. Poppy gave her a small smile as well and got one in return.

About ten more feet of walking and the couple in front of her stopped walking. Poppy could see one more door before the hall split into a "T." It had to be Branch's room. Her first instinct was to rush past her friends, but it looked like they both had something to say to her.

"Now Poppy," Guy started, "Branch doesn't look quite like he did. He got quite a beating and has tons of bruises. I just want you to be prepared before you go in there. I don't even know if he'll be awake, but we'll let you go in first."

"We'll be in the waiting room at the end of this hall," Suki pointed to the right where the hallway "T-ed," if you need us just come find us okay?"

Poppy nodded and hugged both of her friends, "Thank you guys, for everything."

With that, she took a deep breath and stepped into the hospital room.

She looked around and found Branch instantly. He was awake, much to her relief, and was sitting up looking at her with a smile on his face. Guy had been right though, his face was badly bruised, and he had a bandage wrapped around his head.

Poppy nearly ran to him and wrapped her arms around his neck tightly. He hugged her back, and the tears sprung up in her eyes. She was so happy to see him, but it also pained her to see what he had gone through, just for her.

"Okay Poppy ease up a bit." Branch said to her, sounding a bit breathless.

Poppy pulled back instantly, "Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry Branch. I'm just so happy you're alive."

She could see his face better now and the bruises looked worse up close, but he stilled looked like her Branch.

"It's okay Pops, I'm just happy you're okay. I really thought something had happened to you, I wasn't sure if I was ever going to see…you..again." Branch managed to choke out that last part.

Poppy couldn't believe it, Branch was getting choked up as if he was trying to cry. She wanted to put a hand on his face but didn't want to hurt him so settled for putting it on his shoulder instead.

"Branch are you okay?"

He wasn't even looking at her now and had a hand covering his face. But he nodded, "Yeah, I'm fine. Just a bit uh…emotional since the incident. I've been like this since I woke up, annoying really." He chuckled a bit and Poppy giggled.

It was good to see he hadn't lost his sense of humor. He finally looked back up to meet her eyes again, his face was a bit red, but with all the other bruises it was hard to see. Poppy noticed a chair about a foot from her and pulled it up, so she could sit next to him.

"So, what happened? No one would tell me anything." Poppy asked.

Branch leaned back in his bed and sighed, "Long story short, I put two trackers on you. Followed the one to my old house instead of the airport. Creek and his henchmen were there, I got my ass kicked, got shot," Branch pointed to his forehead where the bandage was covering it, "and then I woke up here a few days ago wondering where you were. Nobody had any information."

At this point he sat back up so his face was closer to Poppy's. She wasn't even sure what to think or say, she felt horrible for what had happened to him. Creek had told her what he'd planned to do to Branch if he'd come to that house, but she had hoped he was just bluffing.

"I'm so sorry Branch!" Poppy burst into tears and put her head in her hands to cover her face.

She felt Branch's hand on one of her's pulling it away from her face. Poppy looked up slightly to see him.

"What are you sorry for Poppy? You didn't do anything wrong."

Poppy shook her head and removed her other hand from her face, "Creek told me what he'd do to you if you followed my phone to that house. I should have warned you some way."

She continued to cry, blaming herself for Branch's injuries.

After a minute, she felt a hand under her chin and Branch forced her to look at him. "Poppy, none of this is your fault. Do you hear me?"

Poppy nodded hesitantly. Rationally she knew it really wasn't actually her fault, but she still felt responsible.

"I told you from the beginning I would protect you, so if anyone failed here it's me." Poppy wanted to interject that there was nothing he could have done. Creek would have found her one way or another. But Branch started again before she could say anything, "But blaming ourselves isn't going to get us anywhere. I'm just glad you're alive and safe."

Branch leaned down to give her a soft quick kiss. Poppy instantly relaxed and felt more at ease. Branch was right, nothing would come of blaming themselves.

Poppy still had her eyes closed when Branch ended the kiss and put his forehead against her, "I love you Poppy."

Her heart raced at hearing those words, and she could feel herself wanting to cry again but forced the feeling back down. "I love you too Branch."

Then Branch sat up rather quickly, grabbed his side, and grunted as if he was in pain.

Poppy jumped up, "Branch, what's wrong?!" Had she hurt him somehow?

"Poppy, calm down. I just have a few broken ribs and I shouldn't have been leaning over like that. I'm fine, really." He said to her.

Slowly Poppy sat back down in her chair and Branch, very slowly, laid back down onto his pillow. Poppy looked to the bandage on his head then, Guy said he'd been shot but he seemed mostly okay. He'd already told her what happened, but morbid curiosity had her wanting to know more. She just had to remember not to blame herself, if Creek had planned this there wasn't much she could've done to prevent this.

"I'm guessing you want to know what actually happened." Branch asked her.

Poppy looked down to meet Branch's gaze, he was smirking at her.

She looked away sheepishly, "Sorry, I didn't mean to stare."

Branch shrugged, "It's okay, I would stare at it too if I could. I'll tell you if you want to know. But just so you know, there's no brain damage or anything. I am really okay."

Poppy thought about it but shook her head, "I don't need to know the details, not as long as there's no lasting damage. I'm still so sorry Branch."

"Poppy, you don't need to apologize. I promise I'm okay, I'm hoping to actually be out of here soon."

At that moment Nurse Mandy walked into the room and went to the left side of Branch's bed.

"How we feeling today?" She asked Branch.

"I'm fine." Branch replied in a neutral tone.

"Have you been up walking today?"

"Yeah, a little bit."

"Okay, well you need to get up every so often. We don't want you losing any more strength." Nurse Mandy gave him a wry smile and then looked to Poppy.

"You must be Poppy."

Poppy was a bit taken aback, how did this woman know her. "Well yes I am, how do you…" She was cut off before she could finish her question.

"Branch here barely shuts up about you, you're about all he talks about." She smiled at Poppy.

Poppy looked to Branch who was staring daggers at the nurse while the blush deepened on his face. This made her giggle and soon enough the nurse was laughing too. Branch then turned to look at Poppy and she quickly stopped laughing, he was obviously not amused.

Nurse Mandy quit laughing too, "Oh fine, we'll stop teasing." She gave Branch a light tap on the shoulder and then went to check his IV and make sure all his monitors were still working. Poppy hadn't even noticed them until now, but now she could hear his heart monitor beeping

"Well," the nurse turned back to the face them, "as long as you're still feeling fine in the morning you should be able to go home tomorrow."

Poppy was a bit surprised, but also happy for Branch. She didn't know how he hadn't gone crazy yet from laying in the hospital bed. He turned and gave her a big grin, which made it even more obvious that he was ready to go home.

"Now, before you get too excited, you will have to have someone help you until your ribs heal a bit more. Can you handle that Poppy?" Nurse Mandy looked to Poppy.

"Uh yeah sure, what exactly will I have to do?" Poppy asked, she wanted to help in any way she could, and she was going to be there for Branch no matter what.

"Mostly just make sure he's not doing anything strenuous. Those ribs need to heal, he's fine to walk around, but no running or excessive exercise, or driving until you feel you can. And," Nurse Mandy gave them both a mischievous smile, "no sex."

Poppy's face went instantly red and she could feel the heat travel up to her neck and face. She couldn't even look at Branch with Nurse Mandy standing right there. She swallowed audibly and nodded, "Okay, well none of that sounds too bad."

The nurse nodded still with the smile on her face, "Good, and you young man," she looked at Branch, "No going to school either, if we need to we'll get in touch with the college and tell them ourselves."

Poppy was finally able to look at Branch and he nodded, "I think I've got it covered, but thank you."

Nurse Mandy clapped her hands together in front of her and looked between the two of them, "Well okay then guys, that should be about it. If you need anything just buzz me." And with that she left the room.

"So, how are you here Poppy? Weren't you kidnapped?" Branch suddenly asked her.

It took Poppy a minute to answer simply because she wasn't prepared for the question, "Well yeah kinda. Basically, it was all a set up to catch Creek. I mean Creak really did kidnap me at school, but then Aspen…"

"Aspen!" Branch nearly shouted, "I knew there was something off about him, if I ever get my hands on him I'll..."

"Hey hey, it's okay. Aspen is the one who got me out of it. And you would never guess, he is actually in the FBI." Poppy nearly exclaimed.

She could see the slight confusion on Branch's face, "So this whole time, he was just undercover too?"

Then it was Poppy's turn to be confused, "What? What are you talking about?"

"Well apparently Satin is also in the FBI and has been undercover too." Branch gave her a small grin.

Poppy wasn't even sure what to say. "Oh, wow. What are the odds?" She laughed a little, but then had another thought, "Wait, how did you find out she was in the FBI?"

"GD told me, apparently she was the one who made sure I stayed alive after they found me until the paramedics took me." Branch replied.

"Huh." Poppy wasn't really sure what else to say, this was all about too much for her to process after all that happened the last few days.

"You okay?" Branch's voice cut through the fog in her mind.

Poppy jerked and looked up at him, realizing that she had been stuck in her own mind. "Oh yeah sorry, zoned out for a minute."

"It's alright, so where have you been the past few days if you really weren't kidnapped?" Branch asked.

Poppy went on to explain where she had been, which was a surprisingly short story for all that she'd been through.

"So, nothing really happened to you?" He asked at the end of her story.

She shook her head, "Nope, it was just made to look like it."

"Well as much as I'm glad it was all a set up I'm still pissed off with Aspen for being a part of it." Branch huffed.

Poppy giggled at this, "Oh believe me when I tell you I gave him a piece of my mind." And then a thought struck her, "Oh yeah, my dad wanted to know how you were doing. Do you mind if I step out for a minute?"

Branch shook his head, "No, go ahead Pops." He gave her a small smile.

Poppy smiled in return at hearing the nickname, "Okay, I promise I'll be right back."

With that she went to find Guy and Suki to borrow a phone to make the call. She told her father about Branch's condition and what had happened to him. It was a short call, and they promised they'd see each other the next day.

"So how is the grumpy patient?" Suki asked as Poppy handed her back the phone.

"Actually, he's in a good mood considering his condition. He must be in a lot of pain, right?" She looked between her two friends.

"Branch handles pain well, but he's actually even lucky to be alive. For him to come out of what he did is incredible." Guy explained.

Poppy really didn't like hearing those words, but at least Guy was being honest with her and he was right. Branch would just play this off like nothing had happened. And mostly, yeah, he was okay. But he had been shot, that's not something most people would take lightly.

Guy put a hand on her shoulder, "I know that's not what you want to hear Pinky, but it is the truth. But we are all happy he is alive and seems to be fine. Just keep an eye on him, you should be able to tell if he's really hurting or not."

Poppy nodded, "Thanks Guy, I better get back in there, I told Branch I'd be right back."

She turned to walk back to the Branch's room when she heard footsteps behind her. Turning back, she saw her friends following her. She didn't have to say anything, so she faced forward again and smiled to herself.

The four of them spent most of the afternoon talking and laughing as if they were sitting around somewhere other than the hospital. At one point Guy and Suki left to get food for the group and Poppy and the nurse helped Branch to get up and walk around. He did good for the most part but was obviously moving nowhere fast any time soon.

When their friends returned they sat down to their meal and continued chatting.

Finally, Guy and Suki left, leaving Poppy and Branch alone once again. But it was getting late and Poppy was tired.

"Poppy, why don't you go back to the apartment and get some rest. You look exhausted." Branch said, his sky-blue eyes meeting hers.

"I don't have a ride. Guy and Suki brought me here." Poppy replied. She really was tired though.

Before she could think any more on it, a new nurse came in. Nurse Mandy had left a few hours ago with her shift being over. "Sweetie, if you'd like to stay the night there is a cot over there." The nurse told her pointing to a cot in the area of the room near the window. There was also a pillow and blanket on it.

Poppy smiled at the nurse, "Thank you."

The nurse did a quick look around at the machines, making sure everything was working. "Is there anything else you guys need while I'm here?" She asked looking between the two of them.

Poppy shook her head and Branch replied with, "I think we're good for the night, but thank you."

The nurse nodded and smiled, "Alright well if you need anything just let me know, okay?" And with that she left the room and closed the door behind her.

"Well I think I'll go lay down." Poppy said as she began to get up and walk around Branch's bed.

She saw Branch make a move to get up, presumably to tuck her in like he always did. "Oh no, you stay in that bed." She scolded him.

Branch looked at her, a small smile on his face, "Are you gonna let me get up and do anything?" He asked with humor in his voice.

Poppy shook her head, also smiling, "Nope, you stay right there." She then walked over to Branch's bed and tucked him in instead. Once she was satisfied she leaned up and pressed her lips to his. It was a short, but sweet kiss.

"Good night Branch." She said when she pulled away and looked into his sky-blue eyes.

"Good night Poppy." He replied and laid his head back against his own pillow.

With that Poppy walked over to her cot, sat down, took off her shoes, and laid down. It didn't take her long to fall asleep with the machines in the room rhythmically beeping.

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The next morning Poppy woke to the smell of coffee and…what was that…oatmeal? Slowly she opened her eyes and looked around until she could see Branch's bed. He did have a tray of food there. As always, he had a book in his hand while he ate and drank his coffee. Poppy leaned up on her elbow and rubbed her eyes with the back of her hand before looking back at him.

"Morning." She said sleepily.

Branch looked over at her, almost surprised that she had spoken, "Morning."

Slowly she got up and walked over to him. "I'd offer you some breakfast, but as you can see they barely keep me fed." Branch said, gesturing to his tray. He was right, there wasn't much food, just what was left of his oatmeal, a small cup of yogurt and maybe half a cup of coffee.

"And," He looked around and whispered leaning closer to her, "between you and me, it's not all that great." Branch smiled, even though he spoke the truth.

Poppy smiled in return, "Sorry, hopefully you can go home today, and we can get you some real food."

"I need some real food, they'll only give me soft stuff like this due to my injuries." He looked up at her then with pleading in his eyes, "But I need some actual food. My injuries aren't that bad."

Poppy looked at his face closer, he was still bruised up but there was almost no swelling now. Once the bruises cleared up it would be as if none of this ever happened. She then looked to the bandage that wrapped around his head. That would be the one reminder out of this whole ordeal. Poppy couldn't imagine a bullet wound that wouldn't leave a scar. Of course, there was wounds they probably couldn't see, Branch could have had internal injuries but obviously nothing that required surgery, or they would have done that already.

She then felt something touch her hand that was touching the bed. She looked down to see Branch's hand on hers, "Hey, I'm okay. I promise." He gave her a small smile.

Poppy gave him a reassuring smile in return, "I know." She gave his hand a light squeeze before walking around the other side of the bed and taking her seat.

The two talked for a while until Nurse Mandy came in a few hours later.

"How we doing today?" She asked Branch while documenting his vitals into her tablet.

"Fine, do I get to go home?" He asked. Poppy could hear the slight the humor in his voice and had to stop a giggle.

The nurse put her hands on her hips and faced him, "Are you gonna do as you're told if we release you?"

Poppy watched Branch, not exactly knowing how he would answer.

He shrugged, "Probably not, but I can try." Branch gave the nurse a shit-eating grin and she rolled her eyes at him.

"Yes, you get to go home today. But I don't want to see you back in here. You hear?" Nurse Mandy asked/scolded him.

Poppy saw Branch nod and say, "Yes ma'am."

With that Nurse Mandy walked out the door but not before Poppy caught the smile that formed on her lips as she passed her.

She turned back to Branch, "You know, you can be charming when you want to."

Branch scoffed, "She just reminds of my grandma. She wouldn't take any of my bad attitude since I've been here, and she's stayed on my case the whole time."

"Well thank goodness for that." Poppy mumbled under her breath and crossed her arms. It took a strong person to put Branch in his place, she even had a hard time with it sometimes.

"I heard that." He said to her. Poppy looked at him, blushed, and smiled.

The two continued on with their classic 'Branch and Poppy banter' for a while until Nurse Mandy returned with a man in a white doctor's coat. Poppy decided this was her time to get up and stretch her legs. She left the room and found a phone she could use to call her father.

"Hey dad." Poppy said to him when he answered.

"Poppy, how are you this morning?" He asked.

"I'm good, how about you?" She replied.

"Oh, you know, just waiting for a call from my favorite daughter." He chuckled lightly.

Poppy giggled, "I'm you're only daughter."

"Right, well you can be my favorite too. So, how's Branch today?"

"Good, he gets to go home today."

"That's good to hear. Is there anything I can do to help? I still want to meet this young man."

She could hear 'that tone' in her father's voice, he wanted to meet Branch, so he could see if he was worthy enough to be with her. "Actually, dad he is going to need a ride home if you can help with that."

"Of course sweetheart, I can be there in half an hour. Is that okay?"

"That would be perfect daddy, thank you. I'll see you in a bit, I love you."

"I love you too Poppy, see you in a bit."

With that Poppy hung up the phone and found a vending machine to get herself a snack. Slowly she made her way back to Branch's room. When she found his room, after a couple of wrong turns, the doctor and nurse were gone, and Branch was standing in the room half dressed in a pair of black jeans. But she flinched when she saw the bruises along the outline of his ribs. She knew he'd been hurt, but this was hard to look at. The bruises were dark purple and had probably been black before they'd faded the past few days.

"Poppy," his voice made its way through her thoughts and she looked up to see him look at her, "I know it looks bad, and I do have some broken ribs, but it's okay."

Before the tears could leave her eyes, she walked over to Branch and hugged him, but not too tight. He hugged her in return and the two remained like that for a few minutes before they finally pulled apart.

Poppy's eyes met Branch's and he put a hand under his chin and leaned in to kiss her. His lips were soft against hers. She put her hand on the back of his neck softly as they continued. After a minute they pulled apart and that's when Poppy remembered he had no shirt on. She blushed and backed up a step so that he could put that on as well.

"So, what did the doctor say?" Poppy asked.

"Basically, what the nurse told me yesterday: no school for now, no excess exercise, no sex," Branch gave her a small smile at that as he pulled his shirt on," keep my wound clean and to call if anything changes."

Poppy nodded, "Doesn't sound too bad. All you have left for school is finals, right?"

"Yeah, but GD has talked to my professors and I'll e-mail them once I get home, so I can get that settled. Then I won't have to worry about classes until they start back up next semester."

That made Poppy remember something, and she gasped out loud.

Branch jerked his head towards her, his face etched with concern, "What is it?"

"My performance?!" She met his eyes, "It's in a week and now I don't have anyone to sing with."

Slowly Branch walked over to her and put his hands on her shoulders, "Hey, it'll be okay. You've still got a week, surely GD can help you out."

Poppy smiled, "You're right, I just remembered it. With everything going on I'd completely forgotten about it. But it's still too soon to freak out about it."

A second later there was a knock on the open door to Branch's room and both Poppy and Branch looked in that direction.

"Dad!" Poppy nearly ran to the door and hugged her father.

Peppy chuckled, "It's nice to see you too Poppy."

When she pulled away she noticed Branch had walked up to stand beside her. He put his hand out towards her father, "It's nice to finally meet you sir."

Poppy looked towards her father, waiting for his reaction. He was a really nice man, and there was no reason for him to not like Branch based on sights alone. But fortunately for her he just put out his hand in return and shook Branch's.

"You must be Branch." She noticed that her father did give Branch a once over right before they released hands. If Branch had done the same in return she hadn't seen it. Branch was a bit taller than her father, maybe 3 or 4 inches taller.

Branch nodded, "Yes I am."

"I've heard quite a bit from Poppy about you." Both men looked at Poppy then and she blushed sheepishly.

"Poppy, do you think you could go find me some coffee? I could really use a cup." Her father asked her.

"Sure, I'll be back in a few minutes." With that Poppy exited the room and attempted to find her way to the cafeteria. She knew exactly why her father had sent on this errand: he wanted to talk to Branch. If for some reason he didn't approve of him, she wasn't sure what she would do. Branch had taken a bullet trying to find her for goodness sakes.

She finally found the cafeteria and got her father's requested cup of coffee. It was easier to find her way back this time and it really did only take a few minutes to walk back. She entered the room to see both Branch and her father still talking, but both of them were smiling. Looks like she had nothing to worry about.

"Thank you Poppy." Peppy said to her as he took the cup of coffee from her and took a sip. "So, are you two ready to go?"

Both Poppy and Branch nodded simultaneously, and each said some version of the word "Yes." Poppy wanted out of here badly, not that the hospital was all that bad, but she wanted to go home with Branch. And she was sure he wanted out of even more so.

The trio then headed down the hall but had to stop so Branch could checkout at the desk. This only took a few minutes luckily and then they were headed out the door. Poppy saw her dad's signature black Lexus as they walked across the parking lot. It brought a smile to her face for some strange reason, perhaps the familiarity of it. Though she wasn't sure if she should sit in front with her dad or in the back with Branch. Or maybe Branch would sit up front with her dad. Before she could debate any more the decision was made for her. Branch was holding open the front passenger door gesturing for her to get in. She gave him a smile and gladly got in the car. He got in the seat behind her after closing her door and then three of them headed for Branch's apartment.

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P.S. Sorry if there were any typos, I didn't have time to review it as well I'd hoped.


	25. Chapter 25

**Hey guys! So sorry it's been so long, I've had a lot of trouble writing lately, just no motivation. But finally I found some and will hopefully get the rest of this story written before it leaves me. Thank you for all the reviews, I appreciate all of you :) I hope you enjoy this chapter, if there are any typos please let me know.**

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Chapter 25

Poppy looked a bit apprehensive as she entered the room, but her eyes met his instantly. Branch was about to spring out of the hospital bed upon seeing her, but she ran to him and embraced him in a tight hug before he got the chance. He hugged her in return, still not believing she was really here. As much as he wanted to continue holding onto her, he was still bruised and her grip was rather strong.

"Okay Poppy, ease up a bit." He said to her a bit breathlessly.

Poppy reeled back instantly from him, and immediately he wanted the hug back. "Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry Branch. I'm just so happy you're alive." Her smile was short lived as he could see her eyes rove over his injuries. What she didn't know was that he had looked worse just a couple of days ago.

"It's okay Pops, I'm just happy you're okay. I really thought something had happened to you, I wasn't sure if I was ever going to see…you…again." He choked on the last words and felt tears trying to come forward. Branch did not want Poppy to see this, he was hoping all this emotional crap would have left him by now but apparently not. He put a hand over his face, trying to nonchalantly stop the tears from escaping. But he knew Poppy would be able to see right through this façade. He shouldn't be emotional like this, he should be the strong one but here Poppy was standing over him while he lay in a hospital bed.

"Branch, are you okay?" Poppy asked him as she put a hand on one of his shoulders.

He couldn't look at her just yet but nodded. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just a bit uh…emotional since the incident. I've been like since I woke up, annoying really." Branch chuckled, and Poppy giggled in response. He hadn't heard that sound in what seemed like a very long time. It warmed his heart to see she was truly okay and that she seemed to be herself, despite the situation. He still had a hard time believing she was really here in front of him.

She pulled up a chair then and sat down next to the bed. "So, what happened? No one would tell me anything."

Branch leaned back and sighed, debating on how to tell her that would frighten her the least. He would definitely leave out the gory details, she didn't need to hear that. It didn't take him long to decide what she needed to hear, "Long story short, I put two trackers on you. Followed the one to my old house instead of the airport. Creek and his henchmen were there, I got my ass kicked, got shot," he pointed to the bandage around his head, "and then I woke up here a few days ago wondering where you were. Nobody had any information for me either."

He sat back up now and leaned closer to Poppy. Branch was about to begin talking again when Poppy suddenly burst into tears before his eyes.

"I'm so sorry Branch!" She yelled out while covering her face with her hands.

This caught Branch off guard, and he wasn't sure what to make of it at first. He did know he didn't want to see her cry anymore. And what was she apologizing for anyway? If there was any blame here, it was on him. He was the one who hadn't protected her. Branch reached one his hands towards one of her's and pulled it slowly away from her face. She looked up slightly at him, and it felt like a stab in the chest to see her tear-stained face.

"What are you sorry for Poppy? You didn't do anything wrong."

Poppy shook her head and removed her other hand from her face, "Creek told me what he'd do to you if you followed my phone to that house. I should have warned you some way."

She continued to cry. Branch could see that she truly believed what she was saying, like somehow what had happened to him was her fault. He had to put a stop to that thinking right now. None of this was her fault. She was as much a victim as he was. No way would he allow her to keep crying over him, he told her before that he would do anything to keep her safe. It was a promise he hadn't been able to keep unfortunately, but they were not going to play the blame game. He was not going to beat himself up for what had happened, and he wouldn't allow her to either.

He put a hand under her chin and made her look at him. Once her gaze met his he said, "Poppy, none of this is your fault. Do you hear me?" His voice was a bit more stern than he'd meant it to sound but it worked. Poppy nodded and stopped crying.

Branch continued, needing to say a bit more, "I told you from the beginning I would protect you, so if anyone failed here it's me." He could to tell she wanted to say something, but he wasn't going to give her the chance, "But blaming ourselves isn't going to get us anywhere. I'm just glad you're alive and safe."

He leaned down then to give her a soft, quick kiss. Branch could feel Poppy's body relax from the touch and he knew he could finally relax as well. He pulled away, but put his forehead against her's, "I love you Poppy."

Just months ago, he would never have believed he would have found someone he could care about so much since his grandmother. He never was that guy, he'd never kept a girlfriend and had kept to simple one-night flings. Girls were usually too much trouble. Not that Poppy hadn't pushed him to the edge several times, but she was always worth it. This girl meant the world to him, and he couldn't imagine being without her now.

"I love you too Branch." Poppy replied. He could never tire of hearing those words from her, but that was when reality came crashing back along with the pain in his side. With Poppy's arrival he'd mostly forgotten about his injuries, but now his ribs were reminding him of one of the reasons he was in the hospital.

He sat up quickly, grabbed his side, and grunted from the pain his broken ribs were causing him.

"Branch, what's wrong?!" Poppy jumped up sounding alarmed.

He wanted to laugh at her reacting, but knew he'd pay for it in that moment if he tried, "Poppy, calm down. I just have a few broken ribs and I shouldn't have been leaning over like that. I'm fine really."

His words must have convinced since she sat back down. Branch slowly laid back onto his pillow. He would have preferred to stay sitting up, but he had to take a breather after that. There was nothing that could be done for his ribs except for pain medication and he was doing his best to keep that at a minimum. He didn't want to be out of it and groggy.

That's when he noticed Poppy staring at the bandage on his head. Branch didn't want to tell her everything, but if she wanted to hear it he would tell her.

"I'm guessing you want to know what actually happened." He asked her. When she looked down to meet his eyes, he gave her a smirk. She looked away as if she had been caught doing something wrong.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to stare."

Branch shrugged, "It's okay, I would stare at it took if I could. I'll tell you if you want to know. But just so you know, there's no brain damage or anything. I am really okay."

After a minute Poppy shook her head, "I don't need to know the details, not as long as there's no lasting damage. I'm still so sorry Branch."

He almost breathed a sigh of relief, he was glad she didn't want to know. He didn't want those kinds of thoughts keeping her up at night. She probably already had enough trauma from being kidnapped.

"Poppy, you don't need to apologize. I promise I'm okay, I'm hoping to actually be out of here soon."

As if on cue Nurse Mandy entered the room and walked over to the left side of Branch's bed. Of course, she would interrupt he and Poppy.

"How are we feeling today?" She asked him.

"I'm fine." Branch replied, he wanted her to go away so he could spend more alone time with Poppy. Hopefully if he answered her questions shortly and quickly she wouldn't stay long.

"Have you been up walking today?"

"Yeah, a little bit." It still hurt to walk a lot, but he knew he should be up more.

"Okay, well you need to get up every so often. We don't want you losing any more strength." Nurse Mandy smiled at him, and he almost scoffed. He could swear the woman flirted with him any chance she got.

Her gaze then shifted over to Poppy, "You must be Poppy."

He turned to watch Poppy's face, and she looked a bit shocked, "Well yes I am, how do you…."

"Branch here barely shuts up about you, you're about all he talks about."

Branch turned back to look at Mandy, and if a stare could cause death, his would have. He did not talk about her all the time. Yes, he did talk about her a lot, she was the most important person in his life. He could feel the heat come up from his neck and onto his face. And then she started laughing at him. He could hear Poppy giggling too and he turned to see that it was directed at him. But she quickly stopped when she saw the look on his face.

The nurse managed to quit laughing as well, "Oh fine, we'll stop teasing." She gave his shoulder a light tap before making the rest of her checks.

"Well, as long as you're still feeling fine in the morning you should be able to go home tomorrow." Nurse Mandy said after she'd turned back to face them.

Branch's scowl turned into a huge grin as he turned to look at Poppy.

"Now, before you get too excited, you will have to have someone help you until your ribs heal a bit more. Can you handle that Poppy?" Nurse Mandy asked her.

"Uh yeah sure, what exactly will I have to do?" Poppy asked.

Branch knew she would help him, he probably wouldn't be able to get out of her sight for the foreseeable future.

"Mostly just make sure he's not doing anything strenuous. Those ribs need to heal, he's fine to walk around, but no running or excessive exercise, or driving until you feel you can. And," she gave them both a strange smile and Branch wasn't sure what to make of that, "no sex."

He wanted to say "No shit" to her but kept it to himself. Branch was so bruised up, that was the last thing on his mind. But poor Poppy was completely red, and he had to stifle a laugh. She was still so shy, and Branch couldn't wait to hear her reply.

Finally she said, "Okay, well none of that sounds too bad." He was hoping she would have said something funny back, but the poor girl looked like she could just barely talk at the moment.

Nurse Mandy nodded and then turned to Branch, "Good, and you young man, no going to school either. If we need to we'll get in touch with the college and tell them ourselves."

Branch nodded, "I think I've got it covered, but thank you."

With that Nurse Mandy clapped her hands together in front of her and looked at them both, "Well okay then guys, that should be about it. If you need anything just buzz me." She exited the room, leaving them alone again.

That's when it hit Branch, in all the excitement of seeing Poppy again he hadn't thought of it until now.

"So, how are you here Poppy? Weren't you kidnapped?" He asked her.

It took her a minute to reply, he could see her trying to put her thoughts together before she began speaking, "Well yeah kinda. Basically, it was all a set up to catch Creek. I mean Creek really did kidnap me at school, but then Aspen…."

Branch knew it, that SOB was bad news, "Aspen! I knew there something off about him, if I ever get my hands on him I'll…" His anger was starting to build but then Poppy started talking again.

"Hey hey, it's okay. Aspen is the one who got me out of it. And you would never guess, he is actually in the FBI." She said this last part rather excitedly.

Branch furrowed his brows, so he was on it too huh.

"So, this whole time, he was just undercover too?"

Poppy looked at him questioningly, "What? What are you talking about?"

"Well apparently Satin is also in the FBI and has been uncover too." He gave her a small grin, he couldn't believe he hadn't seen it before now, but a lot had started to make sense.

"Oh wow. What are the odds?" Poppy said, sounding a bit stunned. "Wait, how did you find out she was in the FBI?"

"GD told me, apparently she was the one who made sure I stayed alive after they found me until the paramedics took me." He replied.

"Huh." Was all Poppy had to say in reply. This was a lot of information to take in for both of them.

"You okay?" Branch asked her.

Poppy shook her head as if coming out of a trance and met his gaze, "Oh yeah sorry, zoned out for a minute."

"It's alright, so where have you been the past few days if you weren't really kidnapped?" He asked her curiously. Why hadn't she come to see him before now if she'd been alright this whole time.

She explained rather quickly where she'd been. As much as he was glad she was alright, it did sting a bit that she'd basically been on vacation while he'd been in the hospital worrying about her day and night. He decided not to say anything about it though, she had been without a phone and was under the impression that he'd been alright, so he couldn't really get mad at her.

"So, nothing really happened to you?"

Poppy shook her head, "Nope, it was just made to look it."

"Well as much as I'm glad it was all a set up I'm still pissed off with Aspen for being a part of it." He huffed a bit. He'd known from day one that there was something off about the boy.

Then he heard Poppy laugh at him, "Oh believe me when I tell you I gave him a piece of my mind."

Branch had been glad to hear that and wanted to ask how that went when she spoke again, "Oh yeah, my dad wanted to know how you were doing. Do you mind if I step out for a minute?"

He shook his head, "No, go ahead Pops." He gave her a small smile, reassuring her he would be fine for a few minutes.

She smiled back at him, "Okay, I promise I'll be right back."

Poppy then left the room and Branch was by himself again. He hadn't really wanted her to leave, but he also didn't want her dad to worry if she didn't call him. Branch then wondered to himself if he'd ever get to meet Poppy's father. He would need to eventually, he would need his blessing at some point.

It was a few minutes, but finally Poppy returned with GD and Suki right behind her. Branch was glad to see all of them and enjoyed the rest of the afternoon just getting to be part of the group again. He never thought he would like being social again, but now he couldn't imagine it any other way.

Finally, their friends left for the night and he and Poppy were alone again. As much as he had enjoyed their company, he was tired. Branch looked to Poppy and just now realized how tired she truly looked.

"Poppy why don't you go back to the apartment and get some rest. You look exhausted." He said to her. She met his gaze with those beautiful brown eyes. He really wished he could do more for his at this point, but after his walking session earlier it was obvious he was going to be next to useless for a while.

"I don't have a ride. Guy and Suki brought me here." She replied to him.

Before he could say anything else, a new nurse walked into the room. She offered Poppy the cot to sleep on for the night, asked if they needed anything, and then left them alone again.

"Well I think I'll go lay down." Poppy said as she walked around Branch's bed. He wanted to get up and tuck her in and thought for a second that he actually could.

Unfortunately for him, Poppy was as bad as Nurse Mandy and stopped him before he could do anything. "Oh no, you stay in that bed." She actually scolded him. Branch was a bit impressed and gave her a small smile.

"Are you gonna let me get up and so anything?"

Poppy shook her head while returning his smile, "Nope you stay right there." She then walked over to him and tucked him in. Branch wasn't sure how he felt about that, but then she kissed him, and any slightly hurt pride was forgotten.

She pulled back and their gazes met, "Good night Branch." Poppy said.

"Good night Poppy." Branch replied to her and the laid back. He didn't really want their night to be over, but both of them were exhausted.

He heard Poppy lay down and Branch was finally able to sleep easy knowing that Poppy was back with him and safe.

* * *

The next morning Branch woke up well before Poppy. He thought about waking her but decided against it. Instead he ordered his breakfast and picked up his book. The nurse promptly brought him his breakfast and left after making sure all was good. Of course, they would only bring him soft foods to eat, but they did include coffee so not all was bad. With the bruising on his face and the few teeth he'd lost they'd brought him oatmeal, yogurt, a piece of toast, as well as his coffee.

It was maybe half an hour before he heard Poppy's voice, "Morning."

He was a bit startled, he had been so lost in his book. "Morning." He replied turning to look at her.

She slowly made her way over to him and that's when he realized he didn't have anything to offer her for breakfast. Honestly, he just hadn't thought about it, he'd been barely eating anything himself during his stay in the hospital. He couldn't wait to get out and eat some real food.

"I'd offer you some breakfast, but as you can see they barely keep me fed." He said to her.

"And," Branch looked around checking for any nurses before continuing his statement, "between you and me, it's not all that great."

They shared a smile, both knowing that hospital usually wasn't that good.

"Sorry, hopefully you can go home today, and we can get you some real food." She sounded sympathetic.

"I need some real food, they'll only give me soft stuff like this due to my injuries." He looked up to meet her eyes again, "But I need some actual food. My injuries aren't that bad."

Poppy didn't say anything in return, and Branch could see her looking at the injuries that were still clearly visible on his face. He knew he was still bruised up, but it was much better than a few days ago. He noticed one of her hands laying on his bed and he put one of his over it, hoping to get her attention. It worked, and she did look at him.

"Hey, I'm okay. I promise." Branch gave her a smile, hoping she would believe him.

Thankfully Poppy smiled in return, "I know." She lightly squeezed his hand and then took her seat on the other side of the bed.

Nurse Mandy came in a few hours later per usual. "How we doing today?" She asked Branch as she checked and documented his vitals.

"Fine, do I get to go home?" Branch asked. He was ready to get out of there and start actually recovering.

Nurse Mandy turned to face him and put her hands on her hips, "Are you gonna do as you're told if we release you?"

Branch shrugged, "Probably not, but I can try." He gave her a big grin, knowing he was full of it.

She simply rolled her eyes at him, "Yes, you get to go home today. But I don't want to see you back in here, you hear?"

Branch wanted to laugh at her tone, it sounded like she talking to a child. He nodded though, "Yes ma'am."

Nurse Mandy apparently found that answer satisfactory since she left without another word.

"You know, you can be charming when you want to." Poppy said to him.

Branch scoffed, he wasn't trying to be charming he was trying to be a smartass which was something he was very good at.

"She just reminds me of my grandma. She wouldn't take any of my bad attitude since I've been here, and she's stayed on my case the whole time."

Not many people could tell him what to do. Poppy could, but she had some strange power over him he just couldn't fight. He couldn't stand it sometimes, but he was still glad to have her.

"Well thank goodness for that." He heard Poppy mumble under her breath.

He narrowed his eyes a bit and lowered his voice trying to sound menacing, "I heard that."

But unfortunately when she looked at him with rosy cheeks smiling, he couldn't keep it up and the two continued this banter back and forth for a while.

The nurse and doctor came in about an hour later and Poppy escaped so they could talk to him. All they needed to do were check his wounds and reiterate the rules that had been told to him the day before. His head wound looked good, but he was still bruised on his face and ribs. He still couldn't walk fast, but he could walk so that was something.

He was cleared to leave whenever he wanted and with that Nurse Mandy and the doctor left. Poppy hadn't come back yet but he could get dressed so they could get out of there as soon as possible. Luckily GD had brought him a pair of clean clothes and he wanted this stupid hospital gown off.

Branch had just gotten his jeans on and grabbed his shirt when the door to his room opened to reveal Poppy. She only took a couple steps in before she stopped, and Branch could see exactly where her eyes landed. The bruises on his ribs were still purple, he'd seen them and hadn't even considered how Poppy would react to them. He could tell she was about to cry though. Branch needed to stop that before it started.

"Poppy," Poppy looked back up to meet his eyes, "I know it looks bad, and I do have some broken ribs, but it's okay."

Poppy walked over to him them and hugged him lightly. Branch hugged her back, missing her touch. He didn't want to let her go but after a few minutes they finally parted. But he needed a little more. Her eyes me his, and he put a hand under her chin and leaned down to kiss her. Poppy put her hand on the back of his neck gently as they kissed. He only let this go on for a minute before he pulled back. Poppy suddenly backed up a step and blushed. This confused him for a moment until he realized he hadn't put his shirt on yet. He almost wanted to laugh that she could still be embarrassed about him being shirtless, but he'd get his shirt on if it made Poppy more comfortable.

"So, what did the doctor say?" She asked him.

"Basically, what the nurse told me yesterday: no school for now, no excess exercise, no sex," He gave her a smile as he pulled his shirt on, "keep my wound clean and to call if anything changes."

"Doesn't sound too bad. All you left for school is finals, right?"

"Yeah, but GD has talked to my professors and I'll e-mail them once I get home, so I can get that settled. Then I won't have to worry about classes until they start back up next semester." Branch had already been preparing for his finals for a few weeks, so he knew he'd be fine.

Suddenly Poppy gasped, and that snapped Branch to attention, "What is it?"

"My performance?!" Her eyes met his, "It's in a week and now I don't have anyone to sing with."

Branch had completely forgotten with everything going on. He walked over to her slowly and put his hands on her shoulders, "Hey, it'll be okay. You've still got a week, surely GD can help you out."

Poppy smiled at him, "You're right, I just remembered it. With everything going on I'd completely forgotten about it. But it's still too soon to freak out about it."

He was about ready to pull her in for another hug when there was a knock on the still open door to his room. They both looked up to a man he didn't recognize. But before he could ask any questions Poppy ran over to him, "Dad!" She yelled as she hugged him.

So, this was Poppy's dad, not exactly what Branch had expected. The orange mad-scientist hair took him by surprise, plus the man's huge mustache. He was a bit taller than Poppy but not as tall as Branch and was on the pudgier side.

Her father gave a light laugh, "It's nice to see you too Poppy."

Branch knew he needed to make a good impression on this man. When Poppy pulled back from her father he knew this was his chance. He stepped up beside her, actually feeling nervous now. He put his hand out towards Poppy's father, "It's nice to finally meet you sir."

Branch held his breath but luckily her father put his hand out as well and shook his.

"You must be Branch." Her father said.

They released hands and Branch replied, "Yes I am."

"I've heard quite bit from Poppy about you." Branch and her father both looked towards her. Poppy blushed, but he knew she had told her father about him.

"Poppy, do you think you could go find me some coffee? I could really use a cup." He father asked.

Branch knew exactly what this meant. But this was a long-awaited chat. He wasn't planning on having it today but might as well get it over with.

"Sure, I'll be back in a few minutes." Poppy replied, and then she walked out, leaving the two alone.

"I'm Peppy, by the way." Branch looked back to Poppy's father.

Branch wasn't sure what to say to that, but luckily for him he didn't have to come up with a reply.

"I'm going to cut right to the chase Branch, you seem like a decent young man from what Poppy has told me, so what are your intentions with her?"

This did surprise Branch, he wasn't prepared for Poppy's father, er Peppy, to be so bold. He figured his best bet was to be honest and bold back and hopefully earn his respect. Branch mustered up his courage and let out a breath before speaking.

"To be honest sir, I care deeply for your daughter. In fact, I love her. I want nothing but the best for her, but I hope one day I can marry her."

There, he'd said it out loud. But Peppy didn't even look surprised. He looked to just be thinking about what he'd just been told. Of course, Branch's heart was racing, and he was having to remind himself to breathe evenly.

"Well, Poppy seems like she's completely head over heels for you. I want the best for her too. What are you studying in college?"

Now this was easy for Branch, "Architecture and engineering."

Peppy looked slightly impressed for just a second, "Double major, impressive. What are your plans after graduating?"

"To be honest I'm not 100% sure yet, I've had an internship interview for next summer with a firm here in the city that I'm hoping to get. If I can get there, I've got my foot in the door for a job after graduation."

Peppy simply nodded, and Branch wasn't sure what the man was thinking. He was usually good at reading people, but Poppy's father was very good at remaining neutral. He was even having a hard time not fidgeting. Branch was not a nervous guy, but Peppy's silence was starting to get to him.

Luckily right before he started to sweat Peppy spoke, "Well Branch, obviously I don't really know you yet, but I think you have a bright future. And since you did quite literally take a bullet for my daughter, I think it will be fine for you to _eventually_ ask for her hand."

"Thank you, sir." This thrilled Branch more than he could show right now. He was still trying to get a feel for Peppy, he seemed like a serious man but with Poppy being his daughter he had to have a fun, optimistic side.

Peppy smiled in return, "Now, if you don't mind I wanna hear about you took a bullet for my Poppy."

Most people wouldn't like talking about their injuries, especially if it included getting shot. But Branch would tell the story a thousand times over if it meant getting in Peppy's good graces. Plus, it didn't really bother him. In fact, he made the story more amusing and entertaining, and Peppy seemed to enjoy it.

The two were still talking when Poppy walked back in with her father's coffee.

"Thank you Poppy." Peppy said to her as he took the cup from her and took a sip. "So, are you two ready to go?"

Branch and Poppy both nodded. He couldn't wait to get out of here, he wanted badly to be home, to sleep in his own bed and eat some real food.

After he finished checking out of the hospital the three of them walked out into the parking lot. It was the first time in days Branch had tasted fresh air and felt sunshine on his face. Even though it was colder outside with a chilly wind, he didn't think he could be much happier. Until he remembered his ribs hurt and he had to slow his pace.

They walked up to a nice black Lexus and Peppy unlocked it. Geez, he knew Poppy's dad had money, but this was impressive. He saw Poppy hesitate to get in though and walked over the open the front passenger door for him. She gave him a sweet him as she got in. Branch gently climbed into the back seat behind Poppy trying not to cause himself any pain. Now he just couldn't wait to get home.

* * *

 **Hope you guys liked it, please leave reviews!**


	26. Chapter 26

**Hey guys! I know this is long overdue, and i apologize to everyone. Honestly I had the chapter written a few months ago, but it took me this long to finish the song. I'm no good with lyrics but I hope it's at least decent. With the release of the Trolls World Tour trailer tomorrow I figured I would finally post this chapter. Anyway hope you guys like it!**

* * *

Chapter 26

The next week flew by for Poppy. Between taking care of Branch, finals, and practicing her song she had no spare time. Luckily Branch mostly took care of himself, and her father and Guy could be there when she couldn't be. Of course, her professors had given her a break on her finals, allowing her a few more days to study. All she had left to do was her performance, which currently had her freaking out. Poppy had to do the performance by herself now, not that she couldn't sing it, but her stage fright was trying to flare up. She had been practicing all week, but it just didn't feel the same without Aspen.

Poppy huffed loudly as she finished singing for the umpteenth time Friday evening. Tomorrow was her big night, and she felt nowhere near ready.

"Pinky, it sounded just as good that time as it has all night. Why don't we call it a night?" Guy yelled at her from a few rows away.

She looked up to see Guy, Branch, Suki, Chenille, and Biggie all looking at her. They all had pleading eyes except for Branch. Poppy knew they were ready to go, and she knew they needed to. But she just wasn't done, the song was missing something, and she had to figure it out before she quit for the night.

Poppy shook her head at Guy as she finally got her breathing back to normal. "I can't, it just doesn't feel right. I've got to figure out a way to make up for Aspen not being here."

"Girl, it sounds great. You don't need a guy to sing with you to make that song sound amazing. I promise Cooper will be impressed tomorrow night." Suki said to her.

She smiled back at her friend, "Thanks Suki. It just feels like it's missing something, like this song really should be a duet."

Guy spoke up again, "Poppy I really tried to find a partner to sing this with you, but the lack of time did not work in our favor. But you sound awesome, partner or not. I promise, you will be amazing tomorrow."

"Aw, thank you Guy." Poppy replied, "But you guys all look tired, why don't you go home? I promise I won't stay much longer."

She heard a chorus of "Good nights" and "You sound greats" as her friends left. Branch stayed of course, she was barely "allowed" out of his sight since he'd left the hospital. He'd been a bit nicer too, and not just to her but to all their friends. Poppy wasn't sure what to make of it, but something drastic must have happened to him (other than being shot of course) while she was gone. Branch hadn't lost his sense of humor though, and he was still a smartass. Either way she still loved him.

Poppy sat down on the stage cross-legged and put her head in her hands trying to come up with any ideas that might make her performance stand out just a bit more. She looked up a minute later with as many ideas as she had five minutes ago – none- to see Branch leaning on the edge of the stage with his arms crossed looking at her.

"I can't think of anything!" She nearly yelled while throwing her hands up in the air.

"Pops, you really do look great up here. I don't think you need anyone else, and you know I really don't miss Aspen." Branch gave her a wry smile.

Poppy couldn't help but smile back. "Thanks Branch." She fidgeted with her hands nervously before continuing, "Honestly, I think I'm just afraid to be up here by myself in front of such a huge crowd. I'm scared I'm just going to freeze or faint."

Branch took her fidgeting hands in his own and Poppy looked up to meet his gaze, "I know you're scared, but you're an amazing singer. All of us are going to be here tomorrow night to support you. Just breathe and sing your song. I promise you will be fine."

Poppy couldn't help herself, she leaned forward and gave Branch a quick kiss before sitting back and smiling, "When did you get so sweet?"

"You can't tell anybody." Branch replied, pretending to look stern but is face quickly broke into a smile.

Poppy silently acted as if she were zipping her lips and throwing away the key.

"Alright come on, I don't know about you but I'm starving." He offered her a hand to help her off the stage.

She took his hand but with his rib injuries she wouldn't put any weight on him, so instead she sat down on the edge of the stage and scooted off. The two walked out of the auditorium hand in hand.

* * *

Poppy felt much better after getting some food, and then going home to lounge on the couch. She wished Branch could snuggle with her on the couch, but unfortunately, he just couldn't so instead he sat in his chair studying for the finals he had yet to take while she watched tv. Her silly shows were the best way to keep her mind off tomorrow night when she would have to sing in front of the biggest audience she'd seen yet. Poppy still wasn't 100% comfortable being up there by herself, but there was nothing to be done about it. She could either go up there alone or not at all. Her thought went on like this as she watched her sitcoms until her tired eyes finally drifted closed.

"Poppy." She heard her name as someone shook her shoulder gently at the same time.

She really didn't want to open her eyes but did once her mind comprehended that it was Branch's voice. Poppy slowly opened them to meet Branch's sky-blue eyes only a foot or so from her own.

"Hey," he said, "let's get you to bed." He reached out as if to pick her up, but Poppy shook her head.

"Don't hurt yourself Branch, I can get up myself." Poppy hoped she didn't sound condescending to him, as tired as she was, she wasn't sure what her voice sounded like. But when he extended a hand instead, she gladly took it and stood up.

She wasn't sure if Branch would follow her to the bedroom or not, but of course he did, probably making sure she didn't fall over. Poppy was tired enough that her walk to bedroom felt like a long walk on a swinging rope bridge. But finally, she made it. Poppy knew Branch stood behind her, but she didn't really care, she changed into pajamas anyway. After dressing she made her way to the bathroom to brush her teeth and then came right back to crawl into bed. Branch had changed into pajamas as well and crawled into bed before her. Slowly she made her way in beside him, she wouldn't get too close, but they could talk for a minute before she fell back to sleep.

"So really Branch, do you think tomorrow will go well?" Poppy asked him, hoping he would be completely honest with her.

"Poppy," Branch started as he grabbed one of his hand in one of hers, "You will be great, you have a beautiful voice. Just don't be afraid. Okay?"

His free hand went up to caress her cheek, and Poppy closed her eyes and sighed. She knew Branch was right, she could do this. This performance meant everything to her, and she would not mess it up. All she wanted to do with her life was sing. Of course, now she wanted to include Branch in her life, hopefully that could all work out. She was still young though and had plenty of time to figure it out.

Finally, after a minute Poppy opened her eyes, "Thank you Branch. I love you."

By way of response Branch gave a light smile and then leaned over to kiss her. The kiss didn't last long much to Poppy's chagrin, but she knew it couldn't. Branch had risked his life to save hers, all the while not knowing she wasn't in any true danger. They were both lucky the broken ribs were the worst of his injuries. His face was still bruised, but no longer swollen. He still had to wear a bandage on his head, but even that wound looked ten times better than when he'd left the hospital almost a week ago. The only real injury that was still a problem were his few broken ribs. There was nothing that could be done about those though, he just had to wait for them to heal. This meant not a lot of physical contact, which was something Poppy wanted right now, but for Branch she would put those urges aside until he was completely healed.

Luckily for Poppy it didn't take but a minute for a her to fall asleep, and luckily this night she got peaceful dreams rather than the nightmares that had been plaguing her occasionally since that night with Creek.

* * *

Poppy woke the next day feeling much better and smelling coffee and pancakes. Branch always woke before her and almost always made her breakfast, just one of the many things she loved about him. Slowly she made her to the kitchen where Branch was standing in front of the stove making pancakes. His coffee cup sat on the countertop to his right as usual and plate of pancakes to his left. Plates, forks, syrup, and butter had already been sat out as well.

"Morning." Branch said, making her jump a little. She had gotten a bit too distracted looking around the kitchen and forgotten that he had super hearing.

"Morning." She replied.

He turned to face her, "Go ahead and eat, if I know you like I think I do you're gonna be way too excited to eat later."

Poppy smiled, "I'd say you know me pretty well then, thank you for breakfast."

With that Poppy grabbed a few pancakes and syrup before heading to the couch and switching on the tv while Branch finished making breakfast for himself.

After breakfast Poppy did the dishes and took a shower. She decided to relax for the day, it would help her later on. Poppy wouldn't sing before she performed today, saving her voice was the best idea. Instead she spent the day doing her nails, hair and makeup and of course spending time with Branch.

By mid-afternoon Poppy knew she didn't have much time left. Performance didn't start until 5, but she needed to be there at 4 to make sure everything and everyone was ready to go. She decided to wear the dress that Satin and Chenille had made her and the shoes they had gotten her to match. Her pink hair was in curls in a half ponytail with her bangs swinging left across her forehead. She put on minimal make-up and had painted her nails an aqua color to go along with her dress.

As she stood in front of the bathroom mirror making sure everything was correct, the door opened up behind her to reveal Branch in a black long sleeve button up shirt, black slacks, and a light teal tie that would match her dress almost perfectly. His short black hair wasn't really styled, but he had run his hand through it like he always did making it look like he had put time and effort into it when he really hadn't. The bandage that had been around his head had been replaced by a smaller tan bandage that nearly matched his skin, making it look nearly invisible. Even though his face was still blotched red in places, he was still one of the better looking men Poppy had ever seen.

She noticed he looked her up and down as well and it made her blush.

"What do you think?" Poppy asked, gesturing to the outfit.

Branch stepped forward smiling, an actual smile which he rarely showed. "You look beautiful, like always." He lifted her chin with his hand and gave her a chaste kiss.

"Are you ready to go?" He asked her after pulling away.

Poppy nodded, "Yeah, just let me grab my things." She walked to the bedroom hoping he couldn't see how nervous she really was.

When she walked into the living room, she was surprised to see her father standing there beside Branch. His eyes lit up when he saw her.

"Oh Poppy," her father started as he walked towards her, "you look stunning." He embraced her then and she returned the gesture.

"Thanks Dad."

Peppy pulled back and looked to both the youngsters, "So, are we ready to go?"

Branch simply replied, "Yes sir," whilst Poppy had to take a quick breath before saying, "I'm ready, let's go."

The three got into Peppy's car and headed to the college for the biggest night of Poppy's life thus far.

Poppy really didn't remember the ride except for Branch reaching over and grabbing her hand in his. Next thing she knew she was walking into the music building with Branch and her father. Her father wished her luck before heading into the auditorium where he would find seats for himself and Branch. Branch followed Poppy through the door that led backstage where she found her fellow class mates as well as Guy and Suki.

Guy and Suki came over after noticing them. Guy looked snazzy in a glittering silver/white suit and shoes whilst Suki had a hot pink cocktail dress on that split in the middle to show her midriff and reconnected on her hips.

"Oh my gosh Poppy, you look so beautiful!" Suki nearly shrieked before giving Poppy a quick hug.

"Thanks Suki, you look amazing! Are you performing?"

"Thank you, but nah. Everyone else got to dress up so I figured why not. But I do get to run the music and lights." Suki replied.

"Now Suki can't be the only getting some of that, come here Pinky." Guy said before pulling Poppy in for a hug.

"You ready for tonight?" He asked her once he pulled away.

"I think so." Poppy giggled nervously. "When do I perform?"

"The line-up sheet is right over there, but I think you're fifth." Guy pointed to a wall near the stage.

"Okay, that's not too bad." Poppy said, her voice shaking a bit. She was trying to hide her nervousness, but it was no use.

Guy looked back towards the stage where somebody had yelled his name. "Alright guys, I gotta go. Ya'll can sit down over there and just chill until performances start." With that he ran off.

Poppy found the chairs he had indicated, and she and Branch sat down to wait.

As Poppy listened to the performances leading up to her's, she got even more nervous. All of the kids were really good. She knew she had a good voice, she just hoped it was good enough to impress the crowd.

She looked down at her lap where her fists were clenched to see that Branch had put one of his hands on top of both of hers. Poppy looked up to see Branch looking at her, "Poppy, it'll be fine. You have an amazing voice and you're going to kill it out there."

Poppy couldn't help but smile, "Thank you Branch, I'm just nervous."

" _And now please help me welcome to the stage, Poppy!"_

With that Poppy took a deep breath and stood up, "Well here goes, wish me luck okay?"

"You're gonna be fine, just sing as if no one's in the audience."

Poppy nodded and then headed onto stage but before she could get too far Guy stopped her, "Hey Pinky, there's gonna be a change to your performance so just keep an eye out, your sheet music is on the stand if you need it."

Before she could ask what he meant he ran backstage, she wasn't the best at improvising, but she'd do what she could.

The applause kept on as she headed to center stage, but it died down as she grabbed the microphone. Poppy took another deep breath before turning and nodding to the band that was on stage behind her indicating that she was ready to start. She thought she might forget the words until the music started and she waited for the right moment to begin singing. The music started out slow with piano then guitar, then one drum beat before her song began.

 _I used to think the world was a nice place_

 _That's when I saw his face_

 _I quickly realized we weren't meant to be_

 _The world had no place for him and me_

 _My world became dark_

' _Til you came in and fixed my heart_

 _It didn't take me long to see_

 _That all my world needed was you and me_

She moved around the stage as she sang, not quite dancing yet.

 _Starting over_

 _Starting over with you_

 _Starting over_

 _Starting over_

 _Now the world has such a nice view_

 _I can't believe it took me this long_

 _To come up with this new song_

 _Starting over_

 _Starting over with you_

The beat had picked up a bit by this time, and just as Poppy was going to start the next verse, she heard a voice start singing before she could. She looked to the side of the stage and couldn't believe her eyes. Branch was standing there with a microphone in his hand, actually singing. She had never heard him sing before, and she had a hard time believing the voice was his. Poppy ran over to the stand to check the music, and luckily Guy had highlighted all the separate parts for the song. Some of the lyrics had been changed since Branch was singing it, but she didn't mind. She didn't think her smile could get any bigger as Branch sang.

 _I used to think my life was fine_

 _No one was worth my time_

 _Being alone was my way_

 _And that's how I thought it should stay_

As he sang he walked slowly across the stage towards Poppy.

 _Until you wrecked into me_

 _And showed me what happiness could be_

 _Now after all we've been through_

 _I couldn't imagine life without you_

He finally got close enough to put his right hand out towards her. Poppy took, still totally in shock that this was happening.

 _Starting over_

 _Starting over with you_

 _Starting over_

 _Starting over_

 _My world is no longer so blue_

Slowly they started moving across the stage together, Branch obviously couldn't dance very fast due to his injuries, but it was still nice.

 _Starting over_

 _Starting over with you_

Then it was time for both of them to sing.

 _Who would've ever thought_

 _That we would meet by one little fall_

 _It wasn't what either of us were looking for_

 _But life is unpredictable_

 _Challenges were thrown our way_

 _Yet neither of us could fight the pull to stay away_

 _Now that we're together_

 _It really seems like it could last forever_

 _And life has never been so good!_

His voice matched Poppy's almost perfectly, and she didn't think she could be any happier in that moment as the two of them sang together and moved around the stage.

Poppy:

 _Starting over_

Branch:

 _Starting over_

Both:

 _Starting over with you_

Poppy:

 _Starting over_

Branch:

 _Starting over_

Both:

 _I'm so glad that I found you_

Poppy and Branch were both breathing hard as the song ended and smiling as big as they could. The applause they got was huge, but Poppy could barely hear as she started into Branch's ice blue eyes. Finally though she realized they were still on stage. She took Branch's hand, and both turned to bow to the crowd before running off stage.

Poppy practically jumped on Branch giving him the biggest hug she could. "That was amazing!" She squealed before setting her feet back on the floor.

"Why didn't you tell me you were going to do that?" She looked up at him with her arms still around his neck.

He shrugged, "Wouldn't have been a surprise if we told you."

She lifted up to kiss him, Poppy didn't even know how to feel right now but she didn't think she could love him anymore in that moment.

"I love you." She said when she pulled away.

"I love you too." Branch replied as he smiled down at her.

Then she pulled away, "So, you really can sing."

Branch shrugged again, "Eh, a little bit."

"Oh come on, that was amazing. That was not something you learned over night." Poppy said, knowing Branch was full of it.

"I've been practicing with G.D. all week, it's nothing really. But that song really did sound better as a duet. And even though Aspen could have sung it with you, I decided I could sing it instead." He gave her sly grin.

Poppy rolled her eyes and shook her head, knowing how Branch could still be about Aspen. "Well it was still awesome, I can't believe you did that."

Branch shoved his hands in her pockets and looked away from her, "Well I figured it was about time to put the past behind me and focus on my future."

"Aww Branch, you didn't have to go out there for me, but I'm glad you did."

Finally, he looked back at her, "I did need to go out there, and I'm glad I did too."

He reached his hand out to her, "Now, how about we join your father and watch the rest of the performances."

Poppy took his hand and they quietly snuck out to the audience to sit with her father. After they sat Peppy leaned over to his daughter and whispered, "That was amazing Poppy, you and Branch looked great up there."

She smiled, "Thanks Dad, it was so much fun."

For the next hour or so they watched the rest of the performances, but by the time it was over Poppy was starving. Her father agreed to treat her and Branch to a dinner at Poppy's choice of restaurant. She chose a nice seafood place and they all got to just sit down and relax for a while to eat dinner. It was something they hadn't gotten to do, even she and Branch hadn't gotten to have any fun in a while. With everything that happened life hadn't been easy, especially for Branch, lately. It was nice to just have a quiet to dinner and to talk. And with school ending soon for the summer, Poppy had finished all her finals and Branch still had a bit of catching up to do, but he would finish his finals before the semester ended.

After two hours of talking and eating Poppy was getting tired. She wanted to get home, take a shower, and go to bed. Her father drove them home and gave her a quick hug before heading off towards his hotel.

As soon as they walked in the door, Poppy collapsed on the couch. She heard Branch chuckled, and then felt him at her feet removing her heels.

"Thank you." She said as she looked down at him with much appreciation.

"You're welcome, I'm sure those couldn't have been comfortable." He said as she sat down in his chair, looking relieved as well.

"Not after more than 4 hours." She giggled and then let out a deep sigh of relief. Her performance was over, her first year of college was almost over, Branch had sung for her, and she felt more at peace than she had in a long time.

She closed her eyes for a few minutes before resigning to the fact that she needed a shower to get all this spray out of her hair and makeup off her face. Poppy huffed not wanting to remove herself from the couch, but she needed to. Slowly she opened her eyes and sat up. She looked over to see that Branch had gotten up from his chair. He was probably in the bedroom changing clothes. She headed down the hallway and noticed that the bedroom door was closed so she headed into the bathroom, but before she could get her shower started she heard Branch's voice, "Hey Pops, could help me with something in here real quick?"

"Yeah." She yelled back before heading that way. He probably needed help either removing or putting on clothing, he usually could do it by himself but sometimes his injured ribs could really bother him.

Poppy opened the door and stopped, frozen in shock. Branch was down on one knee in front of her holding out a small open black velvet box with a ring in it.

She was barely able to mutter out, "Branch."

"Poppy, I know this is sudden, especially with all we've been through. And you don't have to say yes now if it's too soon, but I needed you to know my intentions and how I feel. I've never felt anything for anybody like what I feel for you. I love you with everything I have, I never thought I could feel this way. I didn't think I'd ever meet anybody like you, and I don't intend to let you go. So Pops, will you…"

"Yes!" She said before he could finish.

"Yes?" Branch's face lighted up with a smile.

"Yes!" Poppy yelled this time and ran forward towards Branch. She dropped to knees and threw her arms around him. He wrapped his arms around her as well.

Poppy pulled back to kiss him, and as they kissed she could feel and taste the tears running down his face.

When the kiss was over Poppy looked at Branch to see that he did in fact have a few tears. "Oh Branch, there's no need for that."

He wiped them away quickly, "It's nothing, and don't you tell anyone."

She smiled at him, "Of course. Now, can I see that ring?"

He smiled back at her and brought it up so she could see it. It was just a 2 karat diamond, but it was in the shape of a heart. Poppy didn't know how Branch found out what kind of ring she had always wanted, but she had a feeling Branch and her father had been talking.

"You want to see if it fits?" Branch asked her.

"Yes!" Poppy held her left hand out and Branch put the ring on ring finger. It was a perfect fit.

Poppy pulled her hand back just a little to see the ring up close, "Branch, I love it!"

She hugged him again, not believing this was happening. Branch was full of surprises today.

"I love you Poppy, you have no idea how happy you make me." Branch said to her as he hugged her tightly against him.

Poppy smiled, "I love you too Branch. And even though I'm liking this new happy Branch, sometimes I miss the old grumpy Branch." She pulled back to look at him before giggling.

Branch smirked at her, "Oh trust me, he's still here. I'm sure you'll annoy me again at some point."

"Yep, especially with school ending I'll be around 24/7."

"Maybe I need to start looking for a second job."

Poppy smacked him on the arm before he could even laugh at his own joke, "Hey!"

Branch put his hands up in defeat, "You know I didn't mean it, don't beat up the injured old man."

"You're not old, just injured. And I didn't hit you that hard. Plus, you deserved it." She gave him sly smile.

"We'll just see how injured I really am." Branch showed her a mischievous smile and before she knew what was happening, he picked her up and threw her on her on the bed.

Poppy giggled and Branch sat beside on the bed before leaning down the kiss her. She couldn't believe what just happened, at 19 she was just finishing her first year of college and she was engaged. Her life had changed so much over the last year, and she wouldn't have changed it for anything, other than Branch getting injured of course. But she was so happy for the new friends she'd made and all the new experiences. Poppy really didn't know where her life would go from here, but she couldn't wait to experience it all at Branch's side.


	27. Chapter 27

Hey guys, long time no see! I'm so sorry this took so long, my life has been crazy. I hoped you all liked the last chapter, a lot of it was just written as a I went including the surprise ending. I had no real ideas to actually write that it just came to me. I hope you guys like this chapter as well.

* * *

Chapter 27

"I think you might finally have the song down Branch, now if you could just sing on-key." G.D. smiled at him with a shit-eating grin.

"I was on-key and we both know it." Branch replied defensively, knowing full well that a few times he hadn't hit the right notes, but he was getting tired of singing. He hadn't sung this much in years and the sore throat he was getting reminded him of that.

Branch had been practicing with G.D. all week while Poppy was in classes. He was having to drink warm tea everyday afterwards to prevent a sore throat so he could sing with Poppy during her performance, though she didn't know it yet.

"Fine, you were mostly on-key." G.D. replied while rolling his eyes.

"Come on man, let's call it a night. I'm not going to have a voice for Saturday if we keep going." Branch was nearly begging his friend.

"Tell you what, let's take 10 minutes, you drink some water. We'll do it once more, and if you don't go off-key once we'll quit for the night. You only have two days to get this."

"Ugh, fine." Branch said as he got up to get a bottle of water and returned to the living room.

After drinking almost half the bottle Branch asked, "So how's Poppy doing practicing at school without a partner? She just tells me she's nervous and she's not sure what's going to happen."

G.D. sighed, "Well, she's doing amazing on her own but I'm not sure she sees it that way. I told her I'd try to find her a partner but couldn't promise her anything. Even if you couldn't sing with her, she'd be fine on her own, she's just getting stage fright."

Branch nodded knowing Poppy had an amazing voice and didn't really need him to go out there on stage with her. But he felt like he needed to, he wasn't afraid of being on stage and he didn't care what anyone else thought. After having his out-of-body experience, he needed to do this, it would make his grandma happy. Plus, it would be a huge surprise for Poppy.

Knowing his time was up Branch set down his bottle of water on the coffee table and turned to G.D., "Let's do this."

* * *

Friday night Branch sat in the front row of the auditorium watching Poppy practice. G.D., Biggie, Chenille, and Suki all sat behind him watching as well. Everyone was getting tired, Poppy most of all.

After her probably tenth time singing the song Poppy shook her head at G.D. as she finally got her breathing back to normal. "I can't, it just doesn't feel right. I've got to figure out a way to make up for Aspen not being here."

Branch did not care for hearing that name, no he wasn't jealous, and the guy may have actually helped Poppy survive a really bad situation, but it didn't mean he had to like him.

Suki piped up from behind him, "Girl, it sounds great. You don't need a guy to sing with you to make that song sound amazing. I promise Cooper will be impressed tomorrow night."

She was right, and Branch felt just a little more respect for her.

Poppy smiled back at her friend, "Thanks Suki. It just feels like it's missing something, like this song really should be a duet."

G.D. spoke up again, "Poppy I really tried to find a partner to sing this with you, but the lack of time did not work in our favor. But you sound awesome, partner or not. I promise, you will be amazing tomorrow."

"Aw, thank you Guy." Poppy replied, "But you guys all look tired, why don't you go home? I promise I won't stay much longer."

Branch almost heard a sigh of relief as her friends stood up and said bye, then left the auditorium. They would all be back for the performances tomorrow night anyway. He wasn't going to leave though. Poppy looked defeated as she sat down on the stage cross-legged and put her head in her hands. He hoped she wasn't going to cry.

He got up quietly and walked to the stage. When he got to the edge, he leaned on it and crossed his arms, and then silently waited for Poppy to notice his presence. He wasn't sure how long this would take, she seemed to be in her own world. It took a minute, but she finally looked up.

"I can't think of anything!" She nearly yelled while throwing her hands up in the air.

"Pops, you really do look great up here. I don't think you need anyone else, and you know I really don't miss Aspen." Branch gave her a wry smile.

Poppy smiled back. "Thanks Branch." She fidgeted with her hands nervously before continuing, "Honestly, I think I'm just afraid to be up here by myself in front of such a huge crowd. I'm scared I'm just going to freeze or faint."

Branch took her fidgeting hands in his own and Poppy looked up to meet his gaze, "I know you're scared, but you're an amazing singer. All of us are going to be here tomorrow night to support you. Just breathe and sing your song. I promise you will be fine."

Honestly, she looked great on stage, she just needed a bit more self-confidence. Branch just didn't see how she couldn't see how good she actually was. It wouldn't take much for her to get a record deal if she could just recognize that in herself. But she was still young, it might take several years for her to figure that out.

Poppy she leaned forward and gave Branch a quick kiss before sitting back and smiling, "When did you get so sweet?"

"You can't tell anybody." Branch replied, pretending to look stern but is face quickly broke into a smile.

His overall personality had changed quite a bit since meeting Poppy, but especially this past week. He had to admit when he was alone, his life was a consistent schedule with almost no surprises, it was simple. But it had been lonely, which he was just used to, and he'd stopped thinking about it. After meeting Poppy though, his whole world had been turned upside down. And for some strange reason, he was actually enjoying it.

Poppy silently acted as if she were zipping her lips and throwing away the key.

"Alright come on, I don't know about you but I'm starving." He offered her a hand to help her off the stage.

She took his hand but with his rib injuries she wouldn't put any weight on him, so instead she sat down on the edge of the stage and scooted off. The two walked out of the auditorium hand in hand.

* * *

Branch did not want to wake her up from the couch, but he also knew she needed to go to bed. She had to be her best tomorrow and sleeping on that couch would not be great for her. He had no idea how long she'd been asleep. After they'd gotten home, she'd turned on the tv to one of her silly shows and Branch had sat in his chair to study. He did still have finals to finish and he'd like to get them done as quickly as possible.

He decided he'd give her a few more minutes of peace before he disturbed her. Plus she looked beautiful, her pink ponytail covering her right shoulder and her bangs side swept to the left on her forehead. She wore no makeup as usual, and secretly he preferred it.

Before he could feel any more creepy, he decided it was time to wake her up. Gently, he shook her shoulder, "Poppy."

Luckily that's all it took to wake her, and slowly her hazel eyes met his.

"Hey, let's get you to bed." He reached his arms out to her as if he were going to pick her up, forgetting his injuries for the moment.

Poppy shook her head, "Don't hurt yourself Branch, I can get up myself."

The statement itself stung a bit, but she was right. His ribs did still hurt, and he didn't want to make them worse. Instead he extended one hand to help her up, he could at least manage that.

Poppy accepted and allowed him to help her get to her feet. Branch followed her as she headed to the bedroom. The poor girl was so tired she was swaying as she walked. He didn't want her to feel like he was hovering over her, but he wanted to be there in case she tried to fall. But finally, she did make it to the bedroom, he looked away as she changed into pajamas which luckily didn't take her long and she managed to stay on her feet. He changed into his own pajamas when she went to brush her teeth, which he had already done, and then crawled into bed. He was getting tired too and really just wanted to get to sleep.

A few minutes later Poppy joined Branch. "So really Branch, do you think tomorrow will go well?" Poppy asked him.

"Poppy," Branch started as he grabbed one of his hand in one of hers, "You will be great, you have a beautiful voice. Just don't be afraid. Okay?"

His free hand went up to caress her cheek, and Poppy closed her eyes and sighed. He wanted to tell her his secret badly, but it needed to be a surprise.

Finally, after a minute Poppy opened her eyes, "Thank you Branch. I love you."

Instead of saying it back Branch leaned over and kissed her, it was short and sweet. As much as he wanted more, they both needed their sleep for tomorrow.

Within a few minutes he could hear Poppy's deep breathing, which luckily lulled him to sleep as well.

* * *

The next morning Branch was up before Poppy as usual, he had to have his coffee first thing or he could get a bit grouchy, but to be honest some days you couldn't tell the difference.

After he'd drank a little bit of coffee and read a bit of his book he decided he could start making breakfast. He would make Poppy's favorite: pancakes. Branch had no idea how she ate so many with her being so small, but he'd make however many she wanted.

By the time he heard Poppy get up and walk towards the kitchen he'd already made a small stack of pancakes and set everything Poppy would need for them on the table.

"Morning." He said to her without turning around.

"Morning." Poppy replied.

He turned to face her, "Go ahead and eat, if I know you like I think I do you're gonna be way too excited to eat later." He probably would be too.

Poppy smiled, "I'd say you know me pretty well then, thank you for breakfast."

With that she fixed herself a plate, went to the living room and turned on the tv.

Branch had no idea how she watched so much tv, but to each their own. When he was done making breakfast though he joined her in the living room.

The rest of the day Poppy relaxed and pampered herself while Branch was freaking out internally. He couldn't show her that of course. So instead he tried to keep his mind busy between watching tv with Poppy and reading his book. He just hoped tonight would go well. Poppy had no what had been planned, and he was just hoping it would make her happy. Branch knew he could sing, but other than practicing with G.D. this last week he hadn't sang in front of anyone in years. And here he was about to go out in front a whole crowd and hopefully not mess up Poppy. Amazingly his biggest fear was not singing in front of a crowd, it was messing up Poppy's performance. She had been practicing for months, and he'd hate to ruin it. But if she could just improv a little bit and remember the lyrics as a duet, he believed it would all go well.

When Poppy went to get dressed later that afternoon Branch did as well. As much as he hated to, he knew he had to dress up for this. He grabbed his suit from the closet as well as the tie he bought that would match Poppy's teal dress almost perfectly. After dressing he looked at himself in the small mirror on a wall in his bedroom. His face still hosted a few red blotches, but nothing like what it was, and his small bandage was nearly invisible. He ran a hand through his black hair making it look styled. And then for some reason this made him smile, and for once he liked what he saw. For almost as long as he could remember he'd had a scowl on his face. Now though, he was happy more than he was miserable. Ever since Poppy had come along, he found himself smiling more and more. Which reminded him he needed to see if she was ready, it was almost time for them to go.

Branch walked out of the bedroom and was about to head to the bathroom to check on Poppy when he noticed someone sitting on his couch. Raising an eyebrow, he walked into his living room and found Peppy sitting there.

Instead of the standard greeting Branch asked, "How did you get in my apartment?"

Peppy smiled and held up a key, "Oh, I have my ways."

Branch smiled in return, not shocked by the older man's confession.

"Why didn't you just knock?" Branch asked amused.

Peppy shrugged, " I did, no one answered so I let myself in and made myself at home."

Branch nodded slightly knowing full well Peppy never knocked, he would have heard him.

"So, what are you doing here?"

"I'm here to drive my sweet Poppy to her college musical debut, and I guess you can come too."

"That's generous of you." Branch replied smirking. He enjoyed their bantering back and forth. In reality he and Peppy got along great, they'd spent a bit of time together in the last week since Peppy was staying at a hotel in town so he could be there for Poppy's big night.

"But if you'll excuse me, I'll go see if Poppy is ready to." Before Peppy could reply Branch turned back to his original task and opened the bathroom door.

His breathe caught suddenly as he saw the girl in front of him, Poppy always looked good but tonight…damn. The dress was the same one she had worn to the party he'd had to save her from, and it looked just as good now as it had then. He knew it wasn't very gentlemanly, but he looked her up and down just once before meeting her eyes again. Her flushed face let him he had made it too obvious he was checking her out.

"What do you think?" Poppy asked, gesturing to the outfit.

Branch didn't have to hesitate or think twice about his answer. "You look beautiful, like always." He lifted her chin with his hand and gave her a chaste kiss.

"Are you ready to go?" He asked her after pulling away.

Poppy nodded, "Yeah, just let me grab my things."

Branch walked back to the living room to join Peppy before Poppy walked out and noticed her father for the first time.

"Oh Poppy," her father started as he walked towards her, "you look stunning." He embraced her then and she returned the gesture.

"Thanks Dad."

Peppy pulled back and looked to both the youngsters, "So, are we ready to go?"

Branch simply replied, "Yes sir," whilst Poppy had to take a quick breath before saying, "I'm ready, let's go."

With that the trio headed towards campus. The trip was short luckily, as Branch didn't want a ton of time to think. Not only was this a big night for Poppy, but also for him. He was just hoping he didn't mess up her performance.

They reached the auditorium before Branch knew it and he and Poppy headed backstage while Peppy headed towards the audience. G.D. and Suki found them both immediately. And of course G.D. would have to be in a white sparkling suit. The girls hugged and squealed while Branch was trying to keep himself calm.

Before G.D. left them to go host the show he gestured to where they could sit until Poppy's turn. Poppy was obviously very nervous. She had her fists clenched in her lap. Branch wanted to calm her down, so he put one of his hands over hers in her lap. Poppy looked up at him, "Poppy, it'll be fine. You have an amazing voice and you're going to kill it out there."

Poppy smiled at him, "Thank you Branch, I'm just nervous."

He wanted to say something else but was cut off by G.D.'s announcement.

" _And now please help me welcome to the stage, Poppy!"_

The audience erupted into applause. With that Poppy took a deep breath and stood up, "Well here goes, wish me luck okay?"

"You're gonna be fine, just sing as if no one's in the audience."

Poppy nodded and walked towards the stage. Little did she know that behind her Branch was getting ready as well. His heart was racing, and he was doing his best to control his breathing.

He listened as the audience quieted and Poppy began singing. From the side of the stage G.D. came over to him with a microphone in hand.

"You ready for this man?" G.D. asked him.

Branch nodded, "I think so, as long as I don't forget the lyrics." He gave a short nervous chuckle.

G.D. gave him a pat on the shoulder, "You'll be fine, now go impress your girl."

Branch took several deep breaths as he listened to Poppy sing while he headed towards the side of the stage. Just two steps and he'd be out there, but he had to wait for the right time. He listened for the tempo to pick up and then he heard the end of Poppy's lyrics. It was his turn, he took a deep breath and stepped onto the stage, about to sing in front of an audience and Poppy for the first time.

Luckily Poppy didn't see him walk on and he began singing before she knew what was going on. But when she did turn to face him it was a sight to see. Her smile couldn't get any bigger or more beautiful. He ignored everything but her as he sang, and by the look on her face he wasn't doing too bad a job.

Slowly he made his way towards her as he continued to sing. Once he reached her he held out a hand to her and she took it. As best as he could dance with her with his injuries he led her across the stage slowly.

Branch never would have imagined he would have done this for anyone. He really never thought he would even sing again, let alone in front a crowd for a girl.

As the song came to a close, they were both breathing heavily, and Branch had nearly forgotten that they weren't the only two in the building until crowd exploded into applause. It took a few seconds as they both looked at each other smiling before turning to face the crowd and bowing. Poppy grabbed his hand and practically dragged him off stage.

Once they were backstage Poppy practically jumped on Branch giving him a huge hug. If there was any pain from the hug, he didn't feel it at all.

"That was amazing!" She yelled as her feet touched the floor again.

"Why didn't you tell me you were going to do that?" She looked up at him with her arms still around his neck.

He shrugged, "Wouldn't have been a surprise if we told you."

She reached up with her toes to kiss which he accepted gratefully.

"I love you." She said when she pulled away.

"I love you too." Branch replied as he smiled down at her. He was just happy that he hadn't messed up performance and the smile he'd gotten from her couldn't have been more beautiful.

Then she stepped back, "So, you really can sing."

Branch shrugged, "Eh, a little bit." Okay, he knew he could sing.

"Oh come on, that was amazing. That was not something you learned over night." Poppy said. She was right of course.

"I've been practicing with G.D. all week, it's nothing really. But that song really did sound better as a duet. And even though Aspen could have sung it with you, I decided I could sing it instead." He gave her sly grin. Plus, he still had a hang up about Aspen even though it was completely irrational.

Poppy rolled her eyes and shook her head, "Well it was still awesome, I can't believe you did that."

Branch shoved his hands in her pockets and looked away from her, "Well I figured it was about time to put the past behind me and focus on my future." It made him a bit uncomfortable to bring it up, but he had to be honest with her.

"Aww Branch, you didn't have to go out there for me, but I'm glad you did."

Finally, he looked back at her, "I did need to go out there, and I'm glad I did too." And he meant it, he knew going out there would change him in a way he probably couldn't have done all by himself. He just hoped his grandma had been able to see it and was hopefully proud of him.

He reached his hand out to her, "Now, how about we join your father and watch the rest of the performances."

Poppy took his hand and they quietly snuck out to the audience to sit with her father.

After the performances were over Peppy took them both to Poppy's favorite restaurant for dinner. It was a nice time, which none of them had gotten here lately. It also gave Branch a chance to think about his plan after dinner. He hadn't discussed it with Peppy, but eventually he would. He knew Poppy was young, and if she said no he wouldn't be heartbroken as long as she didn't leave him. But he was young too, though for some reason that didn't seem to bother him. Branch knew that no other girl would make him feel this way. Yeah, she could be a little too happy some days, but compared to some of the sad he'd seen in her he'd rather be irritated by her happiness.

After a few hours Poppy looked like she had had enough for the day. Her father drove them home and hugged his daughter goodbye before leaving them alone. Branch was a little shocked Peppy didn't have more of a problem with that but he sure wasn't going to bring it up to the man.

After entering the apartment Poppy immediately collapsed on the couch. Branch laughed lightly and reached down to help remove her heels. He had no idea how women could wear these all night and still walk the next day.

"Thank you." He looked up to see Poppy looking down at him with an appreciative smile.

"You're welcome, I'm sure those couldn't have been comfortable." He said as he sat down in his chair, feeling relieved to be sitting in his comfortable recliner.

"Not after more than 4 hours." She giggled and then let out a deep sigh of relief.

She remained quiet after that for a few minutes, so Branch decided now was his time to get ready for a hopefully somewhat magical moment. However, if she fell asleep he would not do this tonight, he would have to wait until she was a little more awake.

Trying not to draw attention to himself he slowly got up from his chair and walked quietly to the bedroom and closed the door behind him. He went over to the closet and bent to down to grab a shoe box from the back where it wasn't easily seen. In it he found the ring he'd been hiding for a few weeks. It was a small diamond ring in the shape of a heart, he hoped she would like it.

That was when he heard Poppy walking his way. He thought she would walk right in but instead he heard her turn towards the bathroom. This was his chance if he wanted to do this tonight. Very quickly he took a deep breath to calm his shaking hands.

"Hey Pops, could help me with something in here real quick?" Branch called out.

"Yeah." She yelled back in reply.

Before she could get the door opened, he turned to face that way kneeling on one knee and holding the ring out in front of him. Branch hoped to only do this once and wanted to do it the right way. Now if he just didn't forget what he wanted to say. He was doing everything he could to hide his nervousness.

That was when Poppy opened the door and suddenly stopped, Branch wasn't sure if this was a good sign or not.

"Branch.." She said quietly and he knew that was his que to start. He took one last shaky breath before speaking.

"Poppy, I know this is sudden, especially with all we've been through. And you don't have to say yes now if it's too soon, but I needed you to know my intentions and how I feel. I've never felt anything for anybody like what I feel for you. I love you with everything I have, I never thought I could feel this way. I didn't think I'd ever meet anybody like you, and I don't intend to let you go. So Pops, will you…"

"Yes!" She cut him off before he could finish. But he also shocked that she had answered so quickly.

"Yes?" Branch felt the smile on his face, and in that moment he wasn't sure if he'd ever been this happy.

"Yes!" Poppy nearly yelled and before he was ready for it Poppy had run to him, dropped to her knees, and threw her arms around him. He returned the embrace and waves of emotion hit him like a brick wall. As much as he tried to fight it Branch knew that he couldn't hold back the tears. Never before had he imagined he'd propose to anyone let alone they actually say yes.

She pulled back and then her lips met his. It didn't last as long as he would've liked but since she'd said yes he knew they would have plenty of time for that later.

"Oh Branch, there's no need for that." Poppy said to him, reminding him of the few tears he couldn't hold in.

He wiped them away quickly, "It's nothing, and don't you tell anyone." Branch hadn't cried in front of anyone since he was a child.

She smiled at him, "Of course. Now, can I see that ring?"

Branch smiled back and held the ring out for her to see. Her face was just glowing as she stared at it.

"You want to see if it fits?" He asked her.

"Yes!" Poppy held her left hand out and Branch put the ring on ring finger. It was a perfect fit.

Poppy pulled her hand back and gave the ring a closer look, "Branch, I love it!"

She hugged him again, and Branch was still in a bit of shock after the night he'd had.

"I love you Poppy, you have no idea how happy you make me." Branch said as he hugged her tightly against him.

"I love you too Branch. And even though I'm liking this new happy Branch, sometimes I miss the old grumpy Branch." She pulled back to look at him before giggling.

Branch smirked at her, "Oh trust me, he's still here. I'm sure you'll annoy me again at some point."

"Yep, especially with school ending for about a month I'll be around 24/7."

"Maybe I need to start looking for a second job."

Poppy smacked him on the arm before he could even laugh at his own joke, "Hey!"

Branch put his hands up in defeat, "You know I didn't mean it, don't beat up the injured old man."

"You're not old, just injured. And I didn't hit you that hard. Plus, you deserved it." She gave him sly smile.

"We'll just see how injured I really am." Branch showed her a mischievous smile and before she could stop him, he picked her up and threw her on the bed.

Poppy giggled before Branch leaned down to kiss her. At that moment he completely forgot about his injuries. He couldn't believe how much his life had changed in just 5 months. From running into him, and spilling his coffee, on the first day of classes to making him chase after her and finally winning her over. As hard as his life had been up to meeting Poppy, she was one of the bigger challenges he'd ever faced. But in the end, she was worth it. Now he couldn't imagine life without her.

* * *

Well guys, there's just one more chapter after this. Hopefully I can get it up quicker than this chapter.

As always please leave reviews :)


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